News

10,000 MILES - MELBOURNE TO NEW YORK

Follow the journey of 10,000 miles from Melbourne to New York courtesy of the  Aussie Hoops Report

Red Roo Makes Its Mark at AAU World Championships

Dateline July 16, 2022, Kissimmee, Florida, and Red Roo is playing off for the AAU Boys 17U D1 World Championship against Thunder Supreme. It’s the culmination of the historic Red Roo US trip to live the dream born in 2019 and play for the AAU World Championship.
 
As tour organiser, and President of Red Roo Sports, James Kerr was stunned to see the results of his team and support staff. “While we lost the game against an excellent opponent, we achieved what we had dreamed since AAU first came to Australia and we won our first Spring Madness event. Red Roo is now runner up in the AAU World Championship. That’s pretty amazing.”
 
 As for future tours, Kerr is certain there will be more. “Once you’ve tasted something like this, such as playing and excelling at the AAU World Championships, playing at this incredible ESPN Wide World of Sports venue, you want more. I look forward to next year’s adventure.”

COLLEGE ROUNDUPS

Red Roo’s prepare for exciting NCAA Men’s basketball season

Red Roo College players, Michael Jok (MJ), Yuot Gai (YG), Chris Davidson (CD) and Lieb Yat (Big Lieb) are hitting the hardwood as they feverishly prepare for successful college seasons ahead.

After standout Freshman and Sophomore seasons at Dawson Community College, MJ is settling in to life at NCAA D2 Minto State University in Minot, North Dakota. Transferring to an NCAA Division, and continuing his education on scholarship was huge reward for effort under the guidance of DCC Bucs Head Coach, Joe Peterson. For Red Roo President, James Kerr, it’s MJ’s work ethic and not talent alone that has given him this major opportunity. “MJ works. It’s like his single motto,” said Kerr, proudly. “For our program, he is one of the pinnacles on every level. No matter what happens with basketball throughout his life, he will have earned himself a quality education and had amazing life experiences. Full stop.”

Brett Stringer, CEO of the AAU in Australia, instrumental in assisting MJ’s exposure to DCC, is excited about his time in North Dakota as a Beaver. “This is the fulfilment of Mike’s dream to play NCAA basketball. A dream that started its journey on Court 3 at Hoops247 in December 2019, and will see him playing in the MSU Dome in the next few weeks. There is plenty still ahead of Mike,” notes Stringer, “but his future is totally in his hands, which from what I have seen from him, is a very good and reliable place.”

YG heads into his Senior year at NCAA D1 Abilene Christian with every expectation of another year of growth on and off court. Playing the ultra competitive Western Athletic Conference, YG will be playing some of College Basketball’s best opponents, with his team hoping to recreate their heroics of season 2019 by making March Madness. “YG has a great opportunity this year at ACU,” says Kerr. “I believe he’s the right player, with the right coach, in the right program at the right time. He’s worked so hard to get where he is, i know he is not about to drop that work rate off when the payoff is right in front of him.” YG is looking for increased contributions in all areas of his game and to make an impression in the tough environment of the WAC.

 

After an injury-marred 2021/22, Big Lieb Yat has taken his talents to NJCAA D1 community college Seminole State in Seminole, Oklahoma. The 6’11” pivot endured complications from bruising to the knee caused by a hyper extension at practice with the DCC Bucs in November 2021, and was unable to play any significant part in the rest of the team’s successful campaign. “I know it was terribly frustrating for Lieb,” says AAU Ceo Brett Stringer, who had a lot to do with Big Lieb’s exposure to Coach Peterson and the Bucs. “But it’s a part of sport. The highs and lows. Lieb has experienced plenty of lows, and is not primed for highs at Seminole State. How high? Only he knows, but anyone who knows him, knows that there’s no ceiling on what he can achieve. We’re all excited to see what happens for him.”

Following the excitement of his signing for Dawson College Bucaneers and head coach, Joe Peterson, CD has finally arrived in Glendive, Montana and acclimatising himself to life on campus, and life in the Mountain West. With a number of D1 programs following his progress after a successful Australia Elite east coast tour in the April 2022 live window, CD will be primed for success as he translates his work ethic and academic commitment to the hardwood courts of the Mon-Dak conference.

“CD is an excitement machine,” notes Stringer. “The attention he drew on tour from all quarters, including D1 schools – who would’ve offered him had he been academically eligible – was extreme. I can only imagine what the year holds in a program like DCC, with Coach Petersen guiding him, and with the strength of schedule.”

The Bucs will be hoping for a 3rd straight year as Mon-Dak Conference Champs and another shot at Regional champs, and a birth in the NJCAA D1 National Tournament. “CD is the man for this level and more. He can make an impact at Dawson.”

RED ROO'S RING OF SUCCESS CHIMES AGAIN

Red Roo’s 18 & U Men’s program added another AAU Spring Madness national championship ring to their growing collection during an eventful summer.

Backing up their successes at 2019 and 2020 events, Red Roo completed the first club 3 peat in Australian AAU history in thrilling scenes with an unlikely buzzer-beating shot dropping from star player, Elijah Duol.

“I almost called for the de-fib,” recalls Red Roo Club President, James Kerr. “We missed 6 free throws in the last 2 minutes to take the game away from our very gallant opponents, and then in the most unlikely circumstances, Elijah scores the walk off basket to end the game and give us the prize!! It was quite crazy.”

“It was an incredible game”, explains AAU Chief Executive, Brett Stringer. “Definitely worthy of a championship game. Both teams were outstanding with some great individual performances, great defensive efforts, and real heart shown by all. It shows the quality and level of game that AAU basketball inspires. This game, and especially the finish, was as good as any game you’d see in Melbourne at the highest level.”


But it almost wasn’t to be. With mere seconds on the clock, and down by two points, Red Roo’s opponent, Team Elite, manouvered the ball to an open player who took a 3 point shot only to be fouled in the shot. They missed the shot but had 3 free throws to go ahead with only a few seconds left on the clock. Go here to see the finals seconds unfolding.

With ice in his veins, and a loud pro-Red Roo crowd against him, the shooter drained 3 of 3 free throws to go up by a point. After a timeout called by Coach Tot Jok, Elijah Duol took the inbounds pass and while driving to the basket, tripped, and in tripping, released the ball towards the hoop in an ungainly looking shot, only for it to drop in as the buzzer sounded.

Unsurprisingly, and as the video shows, mayhem from the excited Red Roo crowd ensued. Despite the heartbreak for Team Elite, sportsmanship was the winner and both teams celebrated an amazing end to a great contest.

For Mr Kerr, the reward of the ring was just desserts for the hard work that went in to the tournament preparation. “We are heavily motivated each year to win this ring. We’ve got one from every AAU Spring Madness event so far, and we’ve now got to keep this going. Performing at a premier level is now an expectation of everyone that puts on a Red Roo jersey. This is our tradition. It’s what we work for.”

John Bewley memorial scholarship

Red Roo has great pleasure in announcing that Chris Davidson will be the first recipient of the John Bewley Memorial Scholarship.

 To qualify you must display excellence in the following:

  • Academics

  • Leadership

  • Sports

  • Community

  •  

Nicole Kerr  joins Red Roo Sports Management

Nicole Kerr has joined Red Roo Sports Management to advise on team nutrition. Nicole is a wellness expert currently serving as the Wellness and Lifestyle Medicine Director at Castle Medical Center in Kailua, Hawaii. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Health (Nutrition), is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and has taken advanced coursework in psychology.  Her career has spanned over 25 years in public health focusing on wellness, nutrition and preventative medicine. Prior to her work at Castle Medical Center she served as a health promotions consultant to the US Air Force Medical Operations Headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.

 While in Honolulu she has worked for Queen’s Medical Center as an oncology dietitian, University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing managing their community initiatives, and was Vice President of Health Initiatives with the American Cancer Society-Pacific Division.  In addition she worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as project director on many social marketing initiatives for health behavior change, CNN (Cable News Network), and currently has a consulting and private practice business, Deer Kerr Consulting, LLC. She is a published author including, Eating The Rainbow,  and is also a veteran of the US Armed Forces. She is passionate about helping people feel good and reach their optimal state of well-being. Nicole is a welcome addition to the team at Red Roo Sports Management

Shooting for the stars

Teny Puot tells the story of how he was hand picked to captain South Sudan in a FIBA AfroBasket qualifying round in Nairobu Kenya as reported in the Star Journal. Image courtesy of Gary Sissons and the Star News Group

Scholastic Aptitude Tests

Get ready for the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) which are held for college admissions in the United States. For further information check this website https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat