3x Cup Qualifiers

On Tuesday 10th March, four teams proudly represented Loyola in an action-packed day of 3x3 Basketball at Diamond Valley Stadium. In this fast-paced, high intensity spectacle of street-style basketball, the game flows nonstop, possessions change in a heartbeat, and one shot can end it all. The was the case for our Division 2 Boys Team, who after conceding a lay-up in the first possession of overtime, won their Grand Final with a game winning three-point shot from Alfie Rowley (9FRCH).

No other schools had as many Grand Finalists as Loyola College, with our Division 1 and Division 2 Girls Teams also battling through their brackets to reach the final game. Shortly, we will find out which of these teams will progress to the State Finals on Wednesday 22nd April.

Basketball Development Program

Our exciting new co-curricular program delivered in partnership with Melbourne United is now well underway, and it has been extremely pleasing to see the enthusiasm and commitment shown by students throughout the first weeks. Participation has been strong across the board, with students arriving early each morning eager to train, learn and challenge themselves in a high-performance environment.

Led by Melbourne United’s Academy Coaching Staff, each session has delivered a professional and engaging experience that mirrors elite training standards. Students have been immersed in well structured, high energy workouts that continue to sharpen core basketball fundamentals such as ball handling, shooting, passing and defensive principles. The introduction of small sided games has been particularly effective in reinforcing decision making and game awareness, while also promoting competitiveness and enjoyment.

The success of the Basketball Development Program highlights the strength of the College’s cocurricular offerings and the value of partnerships with elite sporting organisations. Due to popular demand, the program is now running across Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. As we continue to build this program moving forward, we invite interested Year 7-12 students to touch base via basketball@loyola.vic.edu.au and keep an eye out for future information regarding the Semester 2 Program.

Year 9 Basketball Academy

The Year 9 Basketball Academy Class has hit the ground running this year with former Australian Boomer and 327-game NBL legend Brad Newly leading a ten-week sequence of training sessions with our students. His experiences at the highest level of national and international basketball provides valuable insights into the discipline, resilience, and leadership required to perform under pressure.

Students will also undertake a Basketball Victoria Coaching Course at the beginning of Term 2 to gain their Community Coaching Certificates and will compete in the Victorian Secondary Schools Challenge Tournament in May, putting all they have learnt into practice on the court. During the NBL 2026-27 Pre-Season, students will once again have the opportunity to experience an NBL training session and engage in on-court work with the Melbourne United coaching staff.

Melbourne United’s Elite Program

In Term 1 2026, four Loyola Academy athletes were selected to participate in the Elite Program, the pinnacle of Melbourne United’s Academy pathways. Designed for high performing athletes aged 15–20, this program offers Melbourne United’s most advanced training environment for those just one step away from a development player role with an NBL or WNBL team.

Each athlete receives an Individual Performance Program (IPP) delivered though a mixture of on-court coaching, video sessions, strength and conditioning, injury prevention and nutrition education. Congratulations to Elouise Di Pasquale (10CHBA), Jeremy Potter (11CAMA), Annabelle Lee (9KPBA) and Evie Smith (9FSKE) who participated in the program in Term 1.

Coaching Appointments

Through our partnership with Melbourne United, we are pleased to announce that Melbourne United Academy Coaches Santo Fileccia and Sharna Ayres have joined our ranks as ACS Basketball Coaches.

Sharna is an ex-NCAA Division 1 Athlete with a Master of Education in Health and Human Performance from Northwestern State University. Currently, she is the Basketball Development Officer for Whittlesea Basketball Association and brings a wealth of knowledge in high-performance sport and program building.

Santo is currently the Head Coach of the Whittlesea Pacers Youth League Women's Team. Santo is also on the coaching staff for the Vic Metro U16 Women’s State Team and the State Development Program (SDP). He holds a Level 3 Coaching Accreditation as well as VIT registration with a background in Health and Physical Education.

Lastly, we would also like to congratulate current coach David Jamieson on accepting the position of Director of Coaching at Diamond Valley Basketball Association.

Loyola Basketball is on the rise, and we are excited to have these fantastic leaders working alongside our students on a weekly basis.