East Blaxland basketballer Adam Lulka has been selected for the NSW All Schools men’s team, to contest the School Sport Australia Championships in August.
The 18-year-old is the leading point scorer for the Penrith Panthers in the Waratah Youth League.
He expects to provide leadership, having been selected on the team last year, along with several others.
Not only an experienced member of the Panthers squad, Lulka recently had an opportunity to play in the South East Australian Basketball League.
“I was learning how much I have to do to improve. The [level of] competition was nothing I had experienced before,” Lulka said.
At 203cm tall, the centre/power forward's growth is slowing, but he could still gain more valuable height.
His dream is to play college basketball in the US, then play over in Europe and with the NBL in Australia. It's a dream not unlike Springwood basketballer Angus Brandt’s career trajectory. Brandt has almost finished a season with Lithuanian powerhouse BC Neptunas, and will join reigning NBL premiers the Perth Wildcats shortly.
Lulka looks up to the ‘big man’ Brandt, meeting him a few years ago.
“I was versing him and learning from him. It had been a great experience.”
His focus now will be on making the Australian U19s team, which will compete in the Oceania Championships later in the year.
Another Penrith Panthers Waratah Youth League player, Joel Klein from Silverdale, has made the NSW All Schools men’s team and Natalia Beaumont has made the women’s team.
Beaumont, 17, from Emu Heights, attends Westfield Sports High School and was stoked to make the team.
“I want to bring a spark to the game, work as a team and win the game,” she said.
She hopes to make a career out of the sport, and last year represented NSW in the U18s team at the national championships.
