Young Horsham basketballer Jeremiah McKenzie won the Ballarat Miners youth team's Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday night.
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McKenzie has been a star for the young Miners across his 20 games this season, averaging 15 points and four assists per game.
The Horsham Hornet has also been remarkably efficient, making 45 per cent of his 12 field goal attempts per game, and 39 per cent of his three-pointers.
McKenzie said receiving the award was a bit of a surprise.
"We've got a pretty talented team, we're so balanced and each of our players can go out and get 30 each night," McKenzie said.
"Initially I was starting on the bench because I didn't train in the off-season, but the Country Basketball League season (with the Horsham Hornets) definitely helped me improve, and I was able to get into the starting rotation."
McKenzie has helped guide the youth Miners to the Big V league's grand final series beginning on Saturday.
McKenzie played 33 minutes and scored 19 points in the Miners dramatic comeback semi-final win against the Corio Bay Stingrays last weekend
The Miners trailed by 20 points in the fourth term, but a last quarter flourish led by McKenzie and Ararat Redback's Zac Dunmore brought the Miners back into the contest.
"All the boys just got hot, it all just clicked for us and we started really coming back," McKenzie said.
A buzzer-beating three from Dunmore tied the scores and sent the game to overtime. The Miners prevailed in the extra period 102-99, sending them through to a three-game grand final series against the Geelong Supercats. The series will be played across the next two weekends.
"Once it went into overtime we knew that we had the momentum," McKenzie said.
"It was exciting. There were heaps of people there, a massive crowd. It was a great atmosphere, especially in the fourth quarter when we started getting hungry and getting back into it."
While McKenzie had one grand final series in front of him, he was also excited by the prospect of returning to the Hornets for next season.
"Hopefully I've improved enough that I can come back to Horsham, we can go one better than last year and win a championship," McKenzie said.
"We've been talking about it a bit and all the boys are pretty excited about it."
Ballarat Miners coach Daniel Knaggs said McKenzie had improved in leaps and bounds across the year.
"He's a very deserving winner of the MVP, he's come a long way through the Ballarat program and also through his juniors at Horsham," Knaggs said.
"He's always been an outstanding athlete, but he's grown immensely this year with the leadership program, and taking on a bit more of an outspoken role this year."
Knaggs said McKenzie had a bright future in front of him.
"He doesn't have a whole lot to improve. His athleticism is going to just keep growing as he gets older, but for him it's just getting reps and opportunities to improve," Knaggs said.
"He had a trial at the NBL1 camp recently, and apparently did quite well there, so it sort of comes down to him getting those opportunities.
"He definitely has a bright future with competitive basketball ahead of him."
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