Trump card Treyce A Whiz On Basketball Court And Touch Football Arena

Image: Treyce Ciantar is a champion on the basketball court and the touch football field. Images supplied

When he’s not rebounding, playing in the post or setting screens as a power forward on the basketball court you’ll find top schoolboy athlete Treyce Ciantar weaving his magic on a touch football field.

The Mercy College Mackay Year 8 student shows plenty of promise in both sports and impressed keen judges at two of Queensland’s biggest school events recently on the Gold Coast – the Titans All Schools Touch Football Championships and the annual Champions of Secondary Schools Basketball tournament.

Versatile Treyce steered the Mercy/St Patrick’s 13yrs Boys touch football team to the last 16 of the finals series where he showcased his skills as a middle player.

Four days later he was mixing it with the best basketball talent in the State and players two years his senior at the Champions Schools carnival – helping the Mercy/St Patrick’s Under 15 Boys claim seventh ranking.

Competing against the big guns at the Champion Schools Basketball event was perfect preparation for the upcoming Australian Under 16 Championships to be staged in Melbourne during the New Year.

Treyce will join fellow 13-year-old Mercy College students Cooper Currie and Usai Bickey in the Emerging Queensland Under 15 squad that should benefit from their participation at the national titles.

The talented trio are three of Mackay’s best young basketball prospects and key players in the Meteors’ Junior Development Program.

All three will attend a special State camp in Brisbane next January 17 in preparation for the National Carnival.

Hand-eye coordination is an important skill in Treyce’s make up and has kept him in good stead – ever since he first competed on a basketball court at the age of six.

A product of the South's club in the Mackay Basketball Association, Treyce has blossomed under the tutelage of leading coaches Renee Currie, Chris Breckell and Tony Hutchinson – three local figures who have proved a major influence on his career to date.  

The strapping power or small forward shows a maturity that far belies his years and helped Souths achieve championship success in the Under 8s, Under 10s, Under 12s, Under 14s, Under 16s and Opens (Under 18s) competitions.

Ciantar, a Capricornia schoolboys representative, has served the Mackay Meteors since the age of eight and earlier this year led the club to a North Queensland Under 14 Championship title.

To hone his basketball skills, Treyce also lines up against adults and seasoned campaigners in a Sunday Mens competition where he plays as a point guard alongside his dad Trent.

While basketball may be his preferred sport, Treyce also shares a passion for touch football.  

He began his career as a 5-year-old with the Marani club and was soon representing Mackay from Under 9s and leading the region to North Queensland Cup and Red Rooster Cup triumphs.  

The sky's the limit for this talented young hoop who is destined for bigger things.

By Chris Karas

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