My basketball journey started thousands of miles across the Pacific, a town down in South-East Queensland called Toowoomba that’s approximately 7,239 miles away from USC. Growing up in Australia, basketball was never a sport that I envisioned myself playing.

 

Growing up in Australia, basketball was never a sport that I envisioned myself playing.

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My first sport was Rugby League, which I played for a long time. It was not until a growth spurt around the age of 12 and motivation from watching my older brother play basketball that I decided to give it a go. After my first game, I instantly fell in love with it and began to tell everyone in my family of my meticulous plan to make representative teams that would pick the best players from each region in Queensland, and the hopes of being one of the best players to come out of Toowoomba and the state. Little did I know, I was manifesting what my life would look like today. Fast forward to 2014-15, I was traveling down to Brisbane three to five times a week for basketball, starting to train at early hours of the morning in Toowoomba, all while reminding my Mum of what I planned to achieve. Meanwhile, all she was thinking about was what time we’d be home after the four hour round trip and what was on the training schedule the next day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Around three years after that in 2017, I was on a plane flying 14 hours to Los Angeles to start my journey at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. Anxious for what the future held, I knew that this was the best possible situation to put myself in to be recruited by Division I schools. Moving in with my host family in Mission Viejo, California, I also knew it was going to be quite the adjustment, and being away from my entire family was something I had to get used to quickly. My family was such an integral part of all of this and I am grateful for the people here in Southern California that made life easier for me. Being away from them for the past six or so years has been challenging, but we have always figured out a way to make the best of every situation, even when COVID-19 kept us from seeing each other for nearly three years.

 

Being away from them for the past six or so years has been challenging, but we have always figured out a way to make the best of every situation, even when COVID-19 kept us from seeing each other for nearly three years.

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They understand the sacrifices, what I get to represent, and know that one day it is going to be all worth it in the end. 

 

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To put it quite simply, my career at Mater Dei was the best four years of my life. The people I met, the friends I made for life and the memories are things I will cherish forever. Under legendary Coach Gary McKnight, I learned to grow up fast and to become a smart, tough and hard-working basketball player. Playing at such a prestigious institution like Mater Dei, there was a sense of pride that I carried into every game. The feeling of knowing that every game I played in, the opposition was trying their hardest to beat us because of our history and success taught me the real value of winning and how to compete the right way. Mater Dei basketball gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and placed me in a position to be recruited and achieve individual success.

 

Mater Dei basketball gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and placed me in a position to be recruited and achieve individual success.

 

It set the foundation for the player and teammate I believe I am today. 

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USC was the first school to offer me a scholarship to attend school and play basketball. Throughout my recruitment, there was no doubt that I would commit to USC. After seeing the school and meeting with Coach Enfield and the staff, I fell in love with the place long before signing my National Letter of Intent and accepting my scholarship offer. Before I knew it, it was June 2021 and I was moving into my apartment at USC after the whirlwind that was COVID-19 that interrupted my last two years at Mater Dei. After my first workout and practice in Galen Center, there was a month stretch where I had to keep pinching myself. I couldn’t believe that I was finally in the position that I manifested as a 12-year-old kid back in Toowoomba.

 

I couldn’t believe that I was finally in the position that I manifested as a 12-year-old kid back in Toowoomba.

 

It didn’t feel real, and I was filled with joy and pride of what I’ve accomplished. 

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Today, I’m in my second year at USC and on the hunt to earn our bid into what would be the second NCAA March Madness tournament in my time here. At times, I get the same chills and feeling that I got at the start of my freshman summer – when I’m running out onto the court at the Galen Center, beating UCLA at home, signing the fight song after a win or putting in the hours of sweat and work with my teammates to be successful. These moments are some of the best experiences I’ve had as a basketball player to date. I am so proud to be able to call myself a USC basketball player and student, every day doing my best to embrace what it means to “Fight on.” Putting on that jersey, knowing that I’m wearing the Trojan symbols across my chest, I know that I represent a lot more than just myself and I feel such pride every time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Winning is a theme and tradition that runs deep within our school, and a winning culture is something that Coach Enfield and the past players have made an expectation. Every early morning workout, every practice and every night we play, I understand that I play for USC and there is an expectation that I play as hard as I can to help our team win. This is something that I will continue to carry with me for the rest of my career here along with the work ethic that it requires. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given and for all the people who have made this possible. My journey that was once a dream became possible through the hard work I continue to put in to become the best version of myself, the best teammate and the best Trojan I can possibly be.

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My journey that was once a dream became possible through the hard work I continue to put in to become the best version of myself, the best teammate and the best Trojan I can possibly be.

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My journey that was once a dream became possible through the hard work I continue to put in to become the best version of myself, the best teammate and the best Trojan I can possibly be.

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