Newington Basketballers slam dunk USA court side
America’s NBA, the famous sporting association home to LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant, is the field of dreams for any aspiring professional basketballer the world over.
Which is why, says Coach Rex Nottage, being a member of Newington College USA Basketball Tour, which has just returned from playing the basketball College circuit Stateside, is a big deal for Newington students who live and breathe the game.
‘Our players get to experience good basketball, with crowds, cheerleaders and bands in the land where the game was invented so they get the whole American High School experience,’ Coach Nottage explained before the students flew out on Boxing Day.
Organised every second year by Coach Nottage and his coaching staff, this was the 12th tour and included 37 Newington players and six teachers and coaches. The team travelled and played around the US southern states Texas and Louisiana in the Sam Houston High School Competition. A sixteen-team competition, they competed alongside other High School teams from cities such as Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Humble and Houston, where they enjoyed success and TV coverage from local US networks interested in ‘the boys from Down Under’.
America’s NBA is the field of dreams for any aspiring professional basketballer the world over.
‘Competitions like these are the starting base for recruitment,’ says Coach Nottage.
‘This comp is giving US coaches an opportunity to see our Newington players live in action plus in match game video footage as a reference point. Our boys will be playing against American players who the US scouts and coaches already know, so they can easily judge the standard of our kids.’
Newington has a proud history of old Newingtonian basketball greats being scouted and recruited from this US High School competition. Nicholas (Nick) Kay, Luke Devlin, Daniel Hill, Grant Anticevich, Kelly Delahunty, Brandon Freire, Jake Peterson, Chier Maker, Mackuach Maluach, Fletcher MacDonald, Angus Ole, Ben Gill, Jadyn Goodwyn and Reed Nottage, are all former Newington Basketball 1sts players who went on tour, with some going on to play for a US College team
This year Coach Nottage says there is already US interest in some of our players, in particular Goc Malual Malek, who was selected by Basketball Australia in the Australia U19 team earlier this year while completing Year 12.

‘Goc is ranked in the top five for his age and position in Australia and is being highly recruited by US College teams, so there were plenty of coaches/scouts at our games,’ says Coach Nottage, adding that college basketball is huge in the US and the number one way to the NBA.
‘We also have another four boys on this tour who are seriously looking for opportunities, as well as eight to ten Newington players who want to be seen for future opportunities, so it’s a really worthwhile tour for players.’
This US tour hasn’t been all work though. Players have also enjoyed some well-earned downtime away from basketball for sightseeing to famous landmarks, such as NASA Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Another tour highlight included being spectators at several NBA games during their two week trip including watching global superstar LeBron James play for the LA Lakers against the Charlotte Hornets, and the San Antonio Spurs.
Says Coach Nottage, ‘the USA basketball tour is a highlight of the Newington basketball program with the boys experiencing lifelong experiences both on and off the court. Lifetime friendships are being cemented, and our basketballers get to see how the other half live, and play, in real time. Go NEW!’
* KPLC, a local news station based in Louisiana ran a story on the tour you can view here: ‘Newington College Travels from Australia to SWLA for Sam Houston Basketball Tournament’.