Personal Statement
I am 18 years old and very interested in playing college basketball and completing a Diploma in Finance or Business. Born in New Zealand, I am of Samoan and Lebanese descent and I completed High School in 2022 at Sacred Heart College in Auckland, New Zealand. In January 2023 I started at College Prep Basketball in Italy being coached by Alex Sarama and completed the journey there on 24 May 2023, in preparation for my ultimate goal of obtaining a scholarship to attend University in the United States in August 2023. I also received a school leavers Scholarship award for overall greatness to attend the Auckland University of Technology. I have also played rugby for 12 years which required a lot of physicality, however basketball is my preferred sport now which I have played for the past 7 years. My strengths are my shooting, ability to finish in transition against contact, hustling for the ball and on-ball defence. My College Prep team in Italy came 5th in the Europe EYBL held in May 23. I have just competed in the NZ U19 Mens Nationals Tournament, 7 game stats: 15.71 PPG, 5 RPG, 6 APG.
I was Captain for the Varsity team of Sacred Heart High School in 2021 and 2022, we made the NZ High School Nationals in 2022. I have represented Auckland Samoa U17’s and U18's in the AAU Hoop Nation Junior Showcase Tournament (April 2021 and April 2022), AAU Hoop Nation Classic (October 2022) and 1st Nations Tournament. I was awarded MVP for both my Auckland Samoa and High School teams in 2021 and MVP for my High School Team and Auckland Samoa and U17 Hoopnation Boys Division MVP in 2022. I was chosen for the U17 and U19 New Zealand Basketball Camps in 2021 and 2022 and was selected for the top divisions U17 Harbour Basketball Rep Team in 2021 and U19 Auckland Basketball Rep team in 2022. I have achieved the highest standard of academic achievement in Year 11 (2021) and Year 12 (2022) with an Excellence Endorsement including 5 individual subject endorsements and in Year 13, my last year of High School, I received a Merit endorsement including 4 individual subject endorsements.
Below is the link to my recent highlights from my time this far from January to March 2023 at College Prep Basketball in Italy and the U19 Mens Nationals Tournament in New Zealand, 2-5 June:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i2yeJh6HXzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXk7_fWop6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXk7_fWop6s
