AUSTRALIAN representative Kouat Noi will continue his basketball education alongside fellow Newcastle Hunters junior Ben Simmons at the No.1-ranked high school in the US.
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The starting power forward in the Australian team that finished second to the USA at the FIBA under-17 world championships in Dubai last month, the 16-year-old sky-walker has accepted a two-year scholarship to attend Montverde Academy in Florida.
Noi will transfer from St Francis Xavier’s College in the October holidays to begin his junior year, the equivalent of year 11, at Montverde.
Eighteen-year-old Simmons, projected as the No.1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft after he plays college basketball for Louisiana State University next year, has led Montverde to the past two national high school titles. He will have Noi as a teammate when their season begins in November.
‘‘They’re the No.1-ranked high school in America so it’s great to know that they want me to play for them,’’ Noi said.
‘‘I decided last week that I wanted to go now because school has already started and it would be better for me to go as soon as possible to start my junior year and start playing with those players.
‘‘Ben is a childhood friend so it should be great to play there with him, and they have a great program at Montverde.
‘‘I messaged Ben a couple of days ago and he’s really keen for me to go there.
‘‘He said it would be great for me to go as soon as possible, and he’s really happy that I got the chance to go where he is right now.’’
Though sad to leave Newcastle, his home town since fleeing South Sudan with his family 12 years ago, Noi was excited about the chance to take a significant step on the road to his ultimate goal of playing in the NBA.
‘‘It all started here in Newcastle, and all the hard work has paid off, so I want to give Newcastle and my school a shout-out,’’ he said.
Noi attracted interest from several American high schools after helping NSW Country reach the final of the Australian under-18 championship in the ACT in April.
That intensified when he averaged 9.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in seven games for Australia’s under 17s in Dubai, and since returning three weeks ago he has been sifting through offers with his father, Ater, and SFX coach Rohan Stevenson.
‘‘Once Kouat and Ater made me aware Montverde were offering a two-year scholarship, I said they’d be crazy to knock it back,’’ said Stevenson, his long-time mentor.
‘‘From where he’s come from, and in terms of his overall development and where he’s going, this is the opportunity of a lifetime.
‘‘It says a lot for Australian basketball and the work people like [Australian under-17 coach] Mark Watkins have done, and it’s a massive accolade for Newcastle Basketball to have two kids who started with the Hunters playing together for the No.1 high school in America.’’
In his last two appearances for SFX at the NSW All Schools tournament at Gosford on Monday, Noi helped the school reach the final and qualify for the championship division of the Australian Schools Championship in Canberra in December, though he will be unable to play.
‘‘We’re very proud of what he’s done and he’s made a great contribution to our school. He’s helped our team achieve success and been a wonderful ambassador for the sport and a great student at our school, so we wish him all the best,’’ SFX principal Brother Robert said.
‘‘This is a wonderful opportunity for him and a good pathway for his education and his outstanding abilities in basketball. He can be coached at a very high level and play alongside players operating at a very high level and he can develop his skills and be seen in that environment.’’
Newcastle Basketball general manager Neil Goffet said Noi was a role model for all Hunters juniors, but particularly those from the South Sudanese community following in his footsteps.
‘‘Kouat came to Australia as a refugee from South Sudan and is equally as proud representing Australia as he is his home country, and I think that is very important,’’ Goffet said.
‘‘He is the first South Sudanese player from Newcastle to represent Australia, and I dare say he won’t be the last looking at some of the talent in this stadium.
‘‘Kouat is a great example to young kids from any background that there is always a pathway to success if you choose to take it.’’
● Triple Olympian Suzy Batkovic and Opals squad member Katie Ebzery, who began their careers as Hunters juniors, will conduct a coaching clinic for girls between 2pm and 4pm at Broadmeadow on Saturday. Nominations for the clinic close at 5pm tomorrow.
