CLARKE Grech is a name to remember as the 11-year-old sharp-shooter lets his developing talent on the hardwood speak for itself.
This year, Red City Roar basketball took girls and boys teams to the Under 12 State Championships for the first time in the association’s history.
At the tournament, Redlands product Grech was an unstoppable force from beyond the arc.
After opening the tournament with six three-pointers in the first game, he went on to score 19 threes, including a five-basket haul in another match.
Redland City Basketball general manager Peter Pollock told Redland City News that Grech was one to watch in the future.
“You can tell he spends a lot of time in the driveway shooting,” Pollock said.
“The game I watched, he hit three threes in a row to start the game.
“He shoots at a great clip too.”
Grech has been playing since he was four years old and has been coached by American import and former Brisbane Bullet Lamar Patterson, former NBL star turned commentator Derek Rucker and NBL veteran Jason Caddee.
Cadee is known as a three-point shooting specialist and said he remembered Grech well.
“I did individual training with Clarke for a few years,” the Adelaide 36er Cadee said.
“He was seven when we first started.
“He’s a good kid. He picks up things very easily and he is really smart at school, which transferred onto the basketball court.”
Mr Pollock said that it was vital for the future of kids like Grech that the association entered back into the top tier state league, the NBL1 North, after missing out on the 2024 season.
“We have a few kids that will be targeted by other clubs in both girls and boys,” he said. “Layla Rehrl was second-leading scorer at girls’ champs.
“We need to have that NBL1 pathway otherwise Redlands will be the eternal recruiting ground for Logan, South West, and Southern Districts.
“It’s an easy conversation for parents to buy into when told by neighbouring associations that they need to be playing in Division 1 to make state teams.
“We have proven that there is no need to play elsewhere.”
