Horsham's Austin McKenzie is set to take a big step in his basketball career later this month, when he flies to the US to start his college basketball career
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The 18-year-old will attend the South East Community college in Nebraska (a junior college) who he will spend the next two years playing basketball for in the NJCAA Division 2, as well as fulfilling studying commitments.
"I've got my visa appointment in a few days and then I think they want me over there by the 21st August," Mckenzie said.
The opportunity came about after McKenzie reached out to an agent in Sydney who had contacts in the US and SECC expressed interest.
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"It'll be real exciting. A good experience," McKenzie said.
McKenzie already has experience living away from home after boarding at Ballarat Grammar during his high school years. He graduated from there in 2020 and has spent 2021 living in Horsham and playing and training in Ballarat, for the Miners' Victorian Youth Championship men's team.
"I've been in Horsham driving up every Tuesday and Thursday for training in Ballarat and then playing on weekends for the Ballarat Youth League side ," McKenzie said.
The six foot, six inch small forward is averaging 13.55 points per game for the Miners' youth side, who sit fifth in the Watson Conference.
At just 18 McKenzie has quite the resume already. He started representing the men's Horsham Hornets' side in 2017 at just fourteen-years-old and averaged 17.67 points per game in the 2019/20 season.
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He has also represented Vic Country multiple times during his junior career.
The former Hornet joins a number of Horsham basketballers who have played college basketball in the US, including his brother Jeremiah (University of Colorado), Aaron Bruce (Baylor Univeristy), Jannik Blair (The University of Alabama) and Chloe Bibby (Maryland).
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