Basketball
14 October, 2024
Livingstone aiming for state team
Micah Livingstone has bypassed the State Development Program and has been selected for the State Performance Program. This high-performance program will give him a more significant opportunity to further his basketball career and he is setting his sights on making the state team in 2025.
The 16-year-old is excited about the opportunity.
"It feels excellent, and it's an exciting opportunity. It was unexpected," Livingstone said.
"It's going to be exciting to get new opportunities and showcase my talent, and hopefully, it helps me get close to my dream and goal of making the state team."
Livingstone is looking forward to playing in Albury in January and wants to get the most out of the experience.
"It's my first year there, and the goal is to make the state team. I will go there, do the best I can, win as many games as we can, and enjoy the whole experience," Livingstone said.
Livingstone plays for Dandenong Under-18s in the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL), and their team was invited to Hoopsfest in Perth following their league win over Knox on September 14.
HoopsFest is Australasia's biggest basketball, culture, and lifestyle festival. It ran from September 19 to 22 and featured the NBL, WNBL, and U18 Championships, live music, entertainment, and more.
Livingstone highlighted his strengths and what he needs to work on.
"My post work is strong as I am a strong player on the court and use my big body and frame to my advantage," Livingstone said.
"I always work on my shooting as I want to become a more reliable and better shooter.
"My defence is also what I am focusing on, and I want to be a better defender as that is a great way to help the team win."
Livingstone debuted for the Horsham Hornets against Ararat in round one of the Country Basketball League, scoring 22 points.
"I felt comfortable coming in, and my experience playing down in the VJBL on Fridays certainly played a huge part," Livingstone said.
Hornets coach Scott Benbow said it was a solid debut.
"We left him on the bench to start as we wanted him to see the pace of the game, and when he came on the court, he adapted well and played 25 minutes, and there was a lot to like about his first game," Benbow said.
"He matched it physically against Ararat, and they pushed him hard, and he didn't take a backward step.
"The next game against Mt Gambier this weekend will be a good test to see where he is at, but he is just finding his spot in the team and it was an encouraging performance."