Basketball
Maddison Rocci has been included in an extended 16-player Australian squad for the 2014 FIBA under-17 world championships in Slovakia, starting in June.
Rocci’s status as one of the rising stars of the Werribee Devils women’s program underpins her status as one of the best players in her age group in the country.
The reason Rocci, 15, is head and shoulders above most juniors her age in victoria is commitment.
“She’s a basketball nut,” Devils coach Lloyd Klaman said. “She would probably play and train more than any kid I know.
“She really wants it. She’s also a great kid and doesn’t have a big head or anything like that; she’s just down to earth.”
Klaman describes Rocci as a “special talent”.
A lightweight in basketball terms, Rocci makes up for it with elite skills at the point guard position, a knack of reading a play before it has unfolded, and speed to burn.
“She’s just really explosive – her first two steps are amazing,” Klaman said.
“She reads the game well and, defensively, she’s a real pain for her opponents.
“She’s just always involved and knows where the action is going to be … coupled with how quick she is, it makes it a real hard combo.
“The only thing that goes against her is she’s not big in stature. She’s pretty small, but she makes up for it with other things.”
Rocci’s talents will be sorely missed by the Devils’ top women’s side when she’s away on national duty.
She was expected to be fast-tracked into a starter role this season.
LJ
