Keegan rewarded for stellar season

BELLARINE Storm young gun Keegan Johnson can add a David Boyd Award to his list of accolades after a year filled with personal growth.

The 14-year-old Ocean Grove resident received the honour last month for demonstrating outstanding character, basketball ability, social awareness in a team environment, and an unquestioned commitment towards his or her team and the game of basketball itself.

Johnson said he did not expect to receive the award but was proud to accept it given how many strong junior players had won it in previous years.

“It felt pretty good to win it,” he said.

“There has only been about five or six people who have actually won the award at the Storm, so it was a privilege to find out I had won it.”

The award, named after the late David Boyd, a father of two and heavily involved with coaching both domestic and representative basketball at the Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association, tragically passed away eight years ago as a result of a heart attack while coaching his son’s Storm team at a training session.

He served as a committee member of the club and was well known and liked for his fun loving and enthusiastic nature according to the club.

Over the past year, Johnson has found the physicality of the Under 16 age bracket the biggest difference he has had to adapt to, but the youngster has embraced the challenge and focused on his leadership qualities within his Metro 4 conference last season.

“The speed of the game continues to go up each age group and so does the height of other players, so I’ve had to develop my game for sure,” he said.

“I’m eager to push myself to get a Youth League game next year as a goal, while continuing to develop my shooting and increase my IQ of the game.”

Keegan will enter his sixth season in the Storm’s program as an Under 16 top ager having already represented Victoria Country at the Under 12 Jamboree and the Under 15 Country Metro Challenge.

He is one of only five male members of State Development Program squad in the region and is chasing a dream to play in the Under 16 Victoria Country state team in 2023.