SA Country Basketballer, Sam Lubcke, heads to US

Local basketball talent Samantha Lubcke’s dream of playing and studying at an American college has just become a reality with her successfully gaining a 2 year full scholarship at the College of Southern Idaho. This comes after many years of competing at junior level competing in the local Murray Bridge Basketball Association, within the junior state league program with Eastern Mavericks, Junior State level and also this year at state league (ABA) level with the Eastern Mavericks women’s team.

Samantha commenced playing and learning basketball in the Bridge Hoops program here in Murray Bridge when only 5 years of age but since then has honed her game and individual skills through hours of training and commitment with a variety of teams and development programs.

Across the years Samantha has competed for the Murray Bridge Bullets program, SAPSASA, South Australia Country and the Eastern Mavericks junior and senior programs.

Samantha has seen much success both individually and within the team environment, winning a silver medal with a SAPSASA representative team in 2008 in Canberra, multiple championships at junior state league and state country junior age group levels, a Bronze medal at under 14 Club Nationals with Eastern Mavericks, Gold medallists at Port MacDonald with the South Australian Country team and a Silver Medal at the Melbourne classic with the Under 16 Eastern Mavericks.

Samantha has also been recognised individually for her leadership skills with multiple captaincies within a range of teams she has been a part of. Samantha has also been awarded numerous individual awards including BASA High Intensity Camp MVP, Eastern Mavericks MVP’s and the prestigious Burt Bargeus Medal awarded by South Australia Country for commitment and talent within the SA Country program.

Samantha finished her junior representation in 2013 as a top age athlete with South Australia Country at the National Championships held in Brisbane. Samantha’s performance here saw her talent on show, ranked 4th overall for offensive rebounds, 6th for defensive rebounds and 11th for overall points against the cream of the Nations talent and that of New Zealand’s.

Samantha’s time and successes have also been mixed with her facing much diversity and challenge across her short time, successfully recovering from two separate knee reconstructions.

Samantha also got a taste of America and its basketball program in 2013 when she travelled with a SA Country team on a NPIRE basketball tour to Dallas.

Another one of Murray Bridge’s most successful basketball exports and achievers, Cherie Hogg has been a key contributor to how Samantha’s dream is becoming a reality. Cherie now an assistant coach at a college in Buffalo in America has provided both assistance and guidance for Samantha to apply and obtain her basketball scholarship.

Next week Sam heads off on what has always been her basketball dream to compete and study at an US college. CSI, College of Southern Idaho is going to be a huge change from Murray Bridge with the city having a population of approximately 45000 and the college itself having approximately 9500 students. As part of Sam’s scholarship she will be accommodated on college, with her already being aligned with a “booster support family”. Southern Idaho is on the North-West region of America bordering Canada with a climate much colder than here with lows of minus 5 degrees. The college is a very successful one not only for their education but also for a range of sports including Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball and Rodeo. The college has been National Champions in all of these sports at one time or another with the women’s basketball team being ranked 7th in the nation in 2013. Samantha will be one of two international recruits in 2014 the other young lady coming from Spain. Samantha scholarship also provides her with the opportunity to continue her current study to become a primary school teacher.

The Murray Bridge Basketball Association would like to wish Samantha all the best and much success as she heads off on her basketball dream.




Comments

Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.

Turn your favourite sports memories into

A FREE NFT!

Use code: GAMEDAY

GameDay Splash Screen