GAME CENTRE
Long-serving Newcastle junior Oliver Keeble has been appointed as Newcastle Falcons Youth Men coach for the 2024 Waratah Basketball League season.
Oliver’s career as a Newcastle rep player included multiple BNSW junior championships, culminating in the Division Two Youth League title in 2017, and he has maintained his passion for the game through coaching.
Since returning in early 2022 from a six-year stint in the US as a player and assistant coach at Centenary College of Louisiana, Oliver has continued his coaching development as an assistant with both the Newcastle Falcons Youth League and NBL1 men’s teams.
The highlight since his return was helping the Falcons achieve an unbeaten 2023 championship season in Youth Men Division Two, securing promotion back to Division One for 2024. Oliver took the head coaching reins mid-season when Jakob Dorricott left to take up a development and coaching role with Sturt Sabres.
“I am extremely thankful and excited to have been given this opportunity. This group of young men are so much fun to coach, and I’m stoked that they get to compete at the level they deserve to be at,” said Oliver, pictured above on the left alongside NBL1 coaches Kristy Bultitude (Women) and Josh Morgan (Men).
“This team has already achieved so much and I’m ready to continue to develop the winning culture we created last season. I believe we will be very competitive in Division One and I’m pumped for what challenges next season will bring. I think we will be very successful and I’m excited to see this team reach its real potential.”
Of the Falcons team that established a 21-0 win-loss record to clinch the Division Two banner last season, all but four players remain eligible to continue in Youth League in 2024, and experienced guards Noah Shiels and Zachary Summers are expected to return from serious knee injuries.
Newcastle Basketball General Manager Matt Neason is looking forward to seeing the Falcons compete in Division One, which will allow the club to enter a team in Division Two.
“Oli has been refining his craft through his time in the US college system, and as an assistant coach with our Youth League men for the past two years,” Neason said.
“Oli led the team through critical periods of the season, helping our Youth League men complete an undefeated season and win the Division Two Youth League championship.
“It’s exciting to have some stability in the Youth League program. A few players will graduate, but several key players will be back, allowing Oli to build on the momentum the team put in place this year.
“Another key change to our Youth League program is the intention to have a second men’s team, providing a broader base for our talented youth players to develop.”
Mark Seccombe has been appointed to coach Newcastle’s Division Two Youth Men next year.
“Mark has experience working internationally for FIBA Oceania, as well as having experience with several junior representative programs. His commitment to development and growth really stood out,” Neason said.
