The Orange Basketball Association’s Facebook page sums Matt Gray up best – he’s on fire.
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The Canobolas Rural Technolgy High School power forward has been selected in the NSW All Schools open basketball team after starring at the four spot with NSW Combined High Schools (NSWCHS) earlier in June.
The NSWCHS boys’ side competed in the tri-series tournament against Combined Independent Schools (CIS) and Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) sides, going down to the former 91-81 before rallying to trump CCC 91-82.
Gray’s performances in both games earned the year 11 student – he’s still eligible for this team again in 2017 – one of 10 spots in the NSW side.
“I was surprised,” Gray said.
“My goal at the start of the year was to make the CHS team and then after the tri-series, to be selected in the All Schools team … it’s a big surprise.
“I was happy with how I played though.”
Little wonder.
On top of his performances for NSWCHS at the All School tri-series, he’s also shone for Canobolas, helping the school team to eighth in the CHS knockout on June 14.
They lost both of their games, but were far from embarrassed. Canobolas went down by just two points to Gosford and by 10 points against Sydney Boys’ High – both teams contested the knockout’s grand final.
Gray has been a goliath in the paint for both Canobolas and his NSWCHS outfit, dominating the glass at both ends of the floor.
He credits the Canobolas High Performance Athletes (CHPA) program with taking his game to new heights.
“The work with the CHPA here has helped me develop as an athlete. For a Canobolas kid, I’m pretty happy with it,” he said.
“It’s developed (my game) heaps. I’ve worked hard on my defence.”
“Some schools wouldn’t have expected that,” Gray added of his young Canobolas outfit’s effort at the knockout.
The work with the CPA here has helped me develop as an athlete. For a Canobolas kid, I’m pretty happy with it.
- Canobolas' Matt Gray
“We were the only team from out west.”
Turning his attention to the week-long School Sports Australia championships beginning on August 6 at Gosford, Gray was hopeful of being able to lead the side to the top of the national rankings.
That’s easier said than done though, with Victoria and Queensland looming as the biggest opposition to a blue wash at Gosford.
All 200 centimetres of Gray and a host of other tall timber should give the Blues a significant edge though.
“Hopefully we can contest for a gold medal,” Gray said.
“I’m one of the tall boys but there are a few others as well, they’re probably over 205 centimetres. We’re a fairly tall team.”