When the girls’ basketball team checked their schedule before the season, there was one name that stood out from the rest. Simply reading “Australia,” there were a lot of questions into exactly who they were going up against.
On Thursday, all their questions were answered.
Known as the Aussie Basketball Travelers, the team is a group of girls currently traveling through the United States with ambitions of one day playing college basketball, or even professionally.
Compared to the U.S., basketball culture Down Under isn’t as big as it is state-side.
Many of these girls are trying to pursue a future in basketball, and view the United states and NCAA as a gateway to that dream.
“There’s no like, Div. 1 no Div. 2 it’s just kind of Sydney University of Melbourne University just versus each other,” Australian Basketball Traveller Liv Johnston said. “So I think a lot of girls are really fighting for that college spot over here, because it’s just such a cool experience that, all the girls that go there, when they come back, they just rave about it. And so it was, you know, the best thing I’ve done is I think we’re all just here trying to earn a spot on a team and do what we love.”
It was a big jump for the Travellers, who many of them are getting their first glimpse of American basketball on this tour and the vast amount of differences between the two sides.
American basketball rules are heavily adopted from the NBA, but in the land Down Under, the International Basketball Federation reigns.
“So in Australia, we play FIBA. So very big jump,” Australian Basketball Traveller Lily Exton said. “So we have the 24 second shot clock for each possession. We can’t pass it back over half court once we already like if we’re passing it in the front court. So a very big jump. But I think we managed it pretty well.”
Preparing for the Travellers was a struggle as not only was there no footage or scouting reports available, but this was the first time the Australian Basketball Travellers had played on a team together.
They hadn’t even had a practice yet before game time.
With nothing known about the team to study, the Redhawks resorted to a different way of scouting.
“What we did do is my coach got some, he, like, looked at what they do and like, the European like basketball league and they got some of their, like, plays and stuff and looked at that,” senior Kathryn Murphy said. “I mean, there wasn’t much that we could prepare for except like do the little things right and be good and strong on defense and just communicate.”
The Redhawks won 41-37 after trailing 23-17 in the first half.
Lilian Johnson led the Redhawks with 19 points and 4 rebounds as the girls prepare for their first district match of the season Tuesday against Frisco.
But for the Redhawks, this matchup was more than just a basketball game.
“It’s just exciting because one, you get to play people from a different place and have a different brand of basketball, but it also it opens you up culturally,” girls’ head coach Ross Reedy said. “And you see, you know, you’re grateful for the things that you do have. And you’re also grateful for just the experience to mingle with others and see different kinds of competition and see where people are from other walks of life.”
