29

Nov

D1 Men's Digest

Wessels on Magnay: 'He made me better every day'

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basketball.com.au

Wessels on Magnay: 'He made me better every day'
Wessels on Magnay: 'He made me better every day'

Australian Harry Wessels contests at the rim in the semi-final against Wichita State yesterday. Photo: @battle4atlantisofficial

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Harry Wessels credits Will Magnay for his growth after Boomers Asia Cup gold and strong Gaels start.

Saint Mary's Gaels senior centre Harry Wessels credited Australian captain and bigman Will Magnay for help develop his game as part of the Boomers 2025 FIBA Men's Asia Cup gold medal run earlier this year.

Wessels was part of that Boomers team before heading back for the final year of college at Saint Marys. The Gaels started the season 8-0 and made it to the final of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas today but ran into a Vanderbilt buzzsaw, losing 96-71.

"Seeing Will was big for me," Wessels said yesterday.

"He was our captain on that tour, and seeing how he goes about his business, especially on the defensive end — he’s a real threat there. He’s a professional.

"When you’re going against him in practice, it makes you better. It’s the same here at Saint Mary’s.

"I’ve had really good bigs around me, and that’s what you want. You want to go against the best every day, and that’s how you get better.

"It was good for me to play games and get more game time under my belt. More reps.

I love playing for my country — it's one of the greatest privileges of my life. It’s a great group.

"Those tours bring good players together but also good people. I learned a lot from being in a different setting and a different style of play.

"After being here for four years, it was good to get a taste of something different. It helped me a lot."

🇦🇺 Saint Mary’s 71, Vanderbilt 96 (Final)

Marriott Bonvoy Battle 4 Atlantis – Championship

Australian Harry Wessels contests at the rim in the semi-final against Wichita State yesterday. Photo: @battle4atlantisofficial

Freshman guard Rory Hawke, from Townsville, produced an efficient offensive outing in Saint Mary’s championship loss to Vanderbilt. The 6'5 guard logged 24 minutes, scoring seven points on 3–5 shooting, including a made three, while adding one assist and posting a turnover-free night. Hawke continues to show promise as a poised backcourt contributor. Sophomore guard Joshua Dent delivered a steady playmaking game across 32 minutes, finishing with eight points, two rebounds and two assists. Dent shot 3–6 from the field but went 0–3 from deep, adding one steal while managing three turnovers in a tough matchup against Vanderbilt’s pressure. Senior centre Harry Wessels logged 11 minutes, providing interior size but finishing scoreless on no shot attempts. He added two rebounds, one assist and held his position defensively, though foul trouble (five fouls) limited his impact.

Rory Hawke – Saint Mary’s Gaels (Fr, G, Townsville, QLD)

  • Minutes: 24 │ Points: 7 │ Rebounds: 0 │ Assists: 1 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 2 │ FG: 3–5 │ 3PT: 1–2 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 0

Joshua Dent – Saint Mary’s Gaels (So, G, Wollongong, NSW)

  • Minutes: 32 │ Points: 8 │ Rebounds: 2 │ Assists: 2 │ Steals: 1 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 3 │ FG: 3–6 │ 3PT: 0–3 │ FT: 2–2 │ Fouls: 4

Harry Wessels – Saint Mary’s Gaels (Sr, C, Boddington, WA)

  • Minutes: 11 │ Points: 0 │ Rebounds: 2 │ Assists: 1 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 0 │ FG: 0–0 │ 3PT: 0–0 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 5

Despite the loss, Wessels reflected on the history Australians have with the Gaels basketball program.

"It’s pretty cool," he said.

"Back home, when you think of college basketball, Saint Mary’s definitely comes to mind because of the greats that have come before — Patty, Delly, Jock. For them to go through this program and do well, it’s a privilege to continue that pipeline.

"Having other Aussies around makes it feel like home. We talk to each other, have good banter. You can’t get homesick when you’ve got guys like that around."

🇦🇺 Alabama A&M 56, Clemson 92 (Final)

Junior forward Angok Anyang, from Adelaide, logged a season-high 22 minutes in Alabama A&M’s road loss to Clemson. The 6'9 forward scored two points on 1–2 shooting, adding one rebound, one assist and one turnover. Anyang continued to provide length and defensive activity, though foul trouble (five fouls) limited his overall impact.

Angok Anyang – Alabama A&M Bulldogs (Jr, F, Adelaide, SA)

  • Minutes: 22 │ Points: 2 │ Rebounds: 1 │ Assists: 1 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 1 │ FG: 1–2 │ 3PT: 0–1 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 5

🇦🇺 Davidson 90, North Carolina A&T 74 (Final)

Freshman guard RJ Greer logged three minutes in Davidson’s home win over North Carolina A&T. The 6'3 guard attempted one three-pointer but did not score, finishing with no other statistics in a short rotation appearance.

RJ Greer – Davidson Wildcats (Fr, G, Centerville, OH)

  • Minutes: 3 │ Points: 0 │ Rebounds: 0 │ Assists: 0 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 0 │ FG: 0–1 │ 3PT: 0–1 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 0

🇦🇺 LSU 71, Drake 62 (Final)

Emerald Coast Classic

Senior guard Max Mackinnon, from Brisbane, delivered another steady two-way performance as LSU defeated Drake. The 6'6 guard logged 29 minutes, finishing with 11 points, four assists and three rebounds while shooting 4–11 from the field and going a perfect 3–3 at the line. Mackinnon provided composure, secondary playmaking and reliable defensive effort as the Tigers closed out the win.

Max Mackinnon – LSU Tigers (Sr, G, Brisbane, QLD)
Minutes: 29 │ Points: 11 │ Rebounds: 3 │ Assists: 4 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 3 │ FG: 4–11 │ 3PT: 0–3 │ FT: 3–3 │ Fouls: 1

🇦🇺 Mississippi State 81, SMU 87 (Final, OT)

Senior forward Achor Achor, from Melbourne, delivered one of his most productive outings of the season in Mississippi State’s overtime loss to SMU. The 6'9 forward logged a heavy 38-minute workload, finishing with 5 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block while going 3–7 at the free-throw line. Despite a tough shooting night from the field, Achor’s activity on the glass and defensive impact were key in keeping the Bulldogs competitive deep into overtime.

Achor Achor – Mississippi State Bulldogs (Sr, F, Melbourne, VIC)

  • Minutes: 38 │ Points: 5 │ Rebounds: 12 │ Assists: 2 │ Steals: 3 │ Blocks: 1 │ Turnovers: 1 │ FG: 1–4 │ 3PT: 0–2 │ FT: 3–7 │ Fouls: 4

🇦🇺 Purdue 109, Eastern Illinois 62 (Final)

Senior centre Oscar Cluff, from the Sunshine Coast, delivered another ultra-efficient performance as Purdue dominated Eastern Illinois. The 6'11 big man logged 17 minutes and produced 10 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on a perfect 4–4 shooting night while adding two made free throws. Cluff continued to showcase his interior efficiency and passing touch, remaining one of the Boilermakers’ most reliable frontcourt contributors.

Oscar Cluff – Purdue Boilermakers (Sr, C, Sunshine Coast, QLD)

  • Minutes: 17 │ Points: 10 │ Rebounds: 5 │ Assists: 4 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 0 │ FG: 4–4 │ 3PT: 0–0 │ FT: 2–2 │ Fouls: 1

🇦🇺 Colgate 69, Albany 67 (Final)

Northern Classic

Sophomore guard Ben Tweedy, from Rockhampton, delivered a tidy 17-minute contribution as Colgate edged Albany in a tight Northern Classic matchup. The 6'4 guard scored three points, knocked down a three-pointer, and added two assists and a rebound while providing steady backcourt minutes in a close contest.

Ben Tweedy – Colgate Raiders (So, G, Rockhampton, QLD)

  • Minutes: 17 │ Points: 3 │ Rebounds: 1 │ Assists: 2 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 0 │ FG: 1–3 │ 3PT: 1–2 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 0

🇦🇺 UConn vs Illinois

Tasmanian freshman Jacob Furphy didn't play for UConn today.

🇦🇺 Fordham 74, Franklin Pierce 72 (Final)

Freshman forward Roor Akhuar, from Canberra, delivered the standout Australian performance in Fordham’s narrow win, scoring 10 points on ultra-efficient 4–5 shooting, including a perfect 2–2 from deep, across 20 minutes. His scoring punch off the bench proved crucial in a tight contest. Freshman forward Abass Bodija, from Brisbane, added 22 valuable minutes, finishing with four points, three rebounds, one assist and two blocks while shooting 2–3 from the field. His interior presence and activity helped stabilise Fordham defensively in a two-point victory.

Roor Akhuar – Fordham Rams (Fr, F, Canberra, ACT)

  • Minutes: 20 │ Points: 10 │ Rebounds: 1 │ Assists: 1 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 0 │ FG: 4–5 │ 3PT: 2–2 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 1

Abass Bodija – Fordham Rams (Fr, F, Brisbane, QLD)

  • Minutes: 22 │ Points: 4 │ Rebounds: 3 │ Assists: 1 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 2 │ Turnovers: 2 │ FG: 2–3 │ 3PT: 0–0 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 0

Junior Jack Whitbourn is yet to play for Fordham this season.

🇦🇺 Siena vs Longwood

Junior Tasman Goodrick didn't play for Siena today.

🇦🇺 Idaho State 82, CSUN 50 (Final)

Holiday Hoops Classic

Sophomore guard Lachlan Brewer, from Launceston, delivered another productive all-around outing as Idaho State dominated CSUN. The 6'6 guard logged 28 minutes, finishing with six points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal while shooting 3–6 from the field. Brewer continued to show his value as a versatile rotation piece, contributing across multiple categories in a comfortable win. The Bengals’ earlier loss in the Classic featured senior forward Caleb Van De Griend, from Bridgetown, who posted 12 points and seven rebounds against Sam Houston. Despite a tough shooting night (4–13 FG), the 6'8 forward remained impactful inside, adding a block and going 4–5 at the line.

Lachlan Brewer – Idaho State Bengals (So, G, Launceston, TAS)

  • Minutes: 28 │ Points: 6 │ Rebounds: 6 │ Assists: 2 │ Steals: 1 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 3 │ FG: 3–6 │ 3PT: 0–3 │ FT: 0–0 │ Fouls: 2

Caleb Van De Griend – Idaho State Bengals (Sr, F, Bridgetown, WA)

  • Minutes: 22 │ Points: 12 │ Rebounds: 7 │ Assists: 0 │ Steals: 0 │ Blocks: 1 │ Turnovers: 0 │ FG: 4–13 │ 3PT: 0–5 │ FT: 4–5 │ Fouls: 3

🇦🇺 Pittsburgh vs Ohio State (11AM) — Roman Siulepa (Fr),

Freshman Henry Lau is yet to play for Pitt this season.

🇦🇺 Hawai‘i vs North Dakota

In progress: Harry Rouhliadeff (Sr)

Tomorrow — November 30, 2025

  • 🇦🇺 South Dakota vs Air Force (8AM) — Jesse MacIntosh (Fr)
  • 🇦🇺 Oregon State vs California Baptist (2PM) — Stephen Olowoniyi (Jr), Yaak Yaak (Jr)
  • 🇦🇺 Arizona vs Norfolk State (8AM) — Anthony Dell’Orso (Sr)
  • 🇦🇺 High Point vs Western Carolina (6AM) — Josh Ibukunoluwa (So)
  • 🇦🇺 Cal State Fullerton vs Pepperdine (9AM) — Bailey Nunn (Jr)
  • 🇦🇺 Central Arkansas @ East Tennessee State (9AM) — Harry Beauchamp (Fr), Truman Byrne (Fr)
  • 🇦🇺 Colgate vs SUNY-Oneonta (9AM) — Ben Tweedy (So)
  • 🇦🇺 Columbia vs Sarah Lawrence (6AM) — Nicolo Romanelli (Jr)
  • 🇦🇺 Detroit Mercy @ Niagara (5AM) — Xavier Istomin-Monroe (Fr)
  • 🇦🇺 Fordham vs UAlbany (11:30AM) — Abass Bodija (Jr), Jack Whitbourn (Jr), Roor Akhuar (Fr)
  • 🇦🇺 Manhattan @ Army (5AM) — Fraser Roxburgh (So)
  • 🇦🇺 Milwaukee @ Akron (11AM) — Ned Renfree (Fr)
  • Boston University vs 🇦🇺 Northern Kentucky (5AM) — Ethan Elliott (Fr)
  • 🇦🇺 Siena @ American University (8AM) — Tasman Goodrick (Jr)
  • 🇦🇺 UC Riverside @ Utah Tech (9AM) — Ben Waller (Fr)
  • 🇦🇺 Wofford @ Eastern Kentucky (9AM) — Rex Sterling (Jr)
  • 🇦🇺 Harvard vs Bryant (6AM) — Luca Ace-Nasteski (Jr)
  • 🇦🇺 Maryland Eastern Shore vs Gwynedd-Mercy (8AM) — Joseph Locandro (Sr)

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