Chyra Mullaney Evans helped power NSW to their first Australian under-20 women's basketball championship in two decades and collected the Bob Staunton Medal as player of the tournament.
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But the Newcastle basketball prodigy won't be satisfied until she hears her name read out in the Australian Gems side for the FIBA under-19 World Cup to be held in Hungary in August.
"Winning at the nationals was great," Evans said. "NSW hadn't won in 20 years and we had such a great bunch of girls. The next big things is selection in the Gems squad.
"There is a camp at the end of June where they cut the squad to 14. Only 12 make the final cut. The tournament is in Hungary and we have drawn the USA, Italy and Spain in our pool."
Evans, who is in her second year at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in Canberra, should have some credit in the bank after a playing a leading role for NSW Blue in Mackay last week.
The 191centimetre power forward scored 15 points, hauled in seven rebounds, dished out two assists and had two blocks as NSW beat Victoria 76-63 in final.
Those figures were just under her tournament average of 19 points per game, at 46 per cent, and eight rebounds.
"Most of our offence was structured for our bigs," Evans said. "We did a really good job of moving the ball and finding open shots for different people.
"I have gotten fitter, faster and stronger in the past six months. Just being more confident in myself, especially taking shots."
Newcastle teammate Kate Kingham was also in the NSW Blue side, which had earlier accounted for NSW White, featuring Novocastrian Sarah Cooper and Amelia Raidaveta, in the semi-final.
NSW Blue finished seventh in the men's tournament, and Newcastle's Evan Kilminster (16.2 points per game) was the team's leading scorer and seventh overall for the tournament.
NSW White, including Newcastle's Michael Walker, finished 10th.
Evans was the third Hunters player to be awarded the Bob Staunton Medal in the past four years and followed Isabel Palmer (2019) and Cassidy McLean (2017).
Palmer is at the University of Utah, while McLean has played the past two WNBL seasons with the Bendigo Spirit.
Evans is yet to decide which path she will take.
"I am a little bit unsure at the moment in terms of whether I go to college or look to play in the WNBL,"she said. "They are both on the table."
Before a potential trip to Hungary, Evans has a date with mum and Newcastle Hunters women's coach Chloe when they meet the Centre of Excellence in the Waratah League in Newcastle on June 19.
"That will be a little bit weird," Evans said. "I have never played against on of mum's teams. She has always coached me or been watching me. It will be a good game."
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