Albany’s star guard Billy McRae picked for Australia’s under-17 team to contest the FIBA Oceania Cup in Samoa

Basketball young gun Billy McRae will don the green and gold for the first time and has taken another step towards a career on the court in the process. McRae will make his debut for Australia in December after being selected in the under-17 side for the FIBA Oceania Championship in Samoa. The 195cm point guard now plays for Perry Lakes Hawks in Perth and was stoked to hear of his call-up. “I’m pretty excited; it’s the first time I’ve been picked for a national age-group squad,” he said. “Playing for Australia is the biggest thing, it’s the absolute pinnacle.” He was speaking just before boarding a plane to Canberra where he was heading to a National Performance Program training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport with his Basketball WA teammates. The camp finishes just in time for him to attend his Year 12 graduation at Wesley College on Friday. McRae,17, is already a member of the Hawks’ NBL1 West squad and stars regularly for the under-18s. He is also a member of the Perth Wildcats Academy, and played for the senior Wildcats’ team in their pre-season intra-club sessions. He is joined in the national side by WA teammates Wieu Atuer and Luke Paul, one of his best friends. He said they won’t have much time to practise together before the championships. “We will be flying to Brisbane, spending the night there and heading to Samoa two days before the event begins,” he said. The under-17 event is a transitional tournament because following the Oceania experience, players should progress to the Emus under-18 age bracket and the pathway to the 2027 World Cup. The under-17 tournament, which is contested every two years, runs from December 8-13. In 2023, Australia beat New Zealand 96-49 in the men’s final.