Georgia
Georgia Amoore: the girl from Ballarat taking US college basketball by storm | Peter Mitchell
Growing up in Ballarat, Georgia Amoore enjoyed terrorising boys on the football field. She was so quick and elusive with a Sherrin in her hands, the boys often only had one option to slow her down.
“They’d grab my ponytail,” Amoore says, laughing.
The helplessness those boys felt as Amoore left them in her dust is now being replicated in college basketball arenas across the US. If you’re not acquainted with the 22-year-old point guard’s exploits for Virginia Tech, you soon will be; Amoore is Australia’s next basketball star.
Later this month Amoore will lead the Hokies into March Madness. The 68-team NCAA knockout tournament is the grand finale of the college basketball season. Last year Virgina Tech, fuelled by a record 23 three-pointers in five games by Amoore, made it to the semi-finals before being knocked out by eventual champions LSU. It was the first time they had made the final four and it was when Amoore’s legend in the US was minted.
“Going into the tournament this year, we’ll carry the lessons that we learned from last year, but we also know it is not going to be easy,” she says.
Women’s NCAA basketball is in a golden era, often drawing higher TV ratings in the US than men’s games with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark smashing all-time men’s and women’s scoring records. Amoore stands alongside Clark, LSU’s Angel Reese, USC’s JuJu Watkins, Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers and South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao as A-listers in this year’s tournament. Amoore was also named alongside Clark and Paopao as finalists for the Nancy Lieberman award for top college point guard.
Contributing to Amoore’s cult status is her height. In a league of giants, the Australian stands just 168cm tall, but offsets any size disadvantage with a deadly step-back three-pointer. She is also an inspirational floor general and happy to get physical.
“I think Aussie basketball in general is harder headed and rougher than US basketball,” she says. “We’re not afraid to put our bodies on the line and we’re playing for our teammates which helps us take hits and then get up again.”
Amoore was introduced to basketball at five years old – watching her cousin Keeley Frawley play at Ballarat’s Minerdome. When Frawley’s team ran into foul trouble and had to sit players, they asked if Amoore could make up the numbers. On came a tiny Amoore in her thongs (flip-flops), and the rest is history.
“I loved it and I’ve been playing ever since,” she says.
The key to Virgina Tech’s success this year’s NCAA Tournament likely rests with the fitness of the team’s other star, All-American centre Elizabeth Kitley, who went down with a knee injury last week. Together, Amoore and Kitley are a dynamic duo with the Australian bombing from outside and the American dominating the paint. They’re also best friends, with their bond forged when the pandemic hit in 2020. With their basketball season shut down, the Virginia Tech campus closed and Amoore unable to fly back to Australia, Kitley’s family invited her to stay at their home in North Carolina.
Kitley said she thought Amoore was “crazy” when she first walked into the locker room.
“She was one of the first Australians I knew, and she was dancing all the time, wild, making jokes and abrupt in a good way,” Kitley told reporters.
American fans have also fallen in love with her Australian charm.
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“I just had to get my head out of my butt and be more aggressive,” Amoore told a US sideline reporter on live TV when describing her slow start in a win over the University of Miami last week.
Amoore is tipped to be a top 10 pick in April’s WNBA draft – one of the strongest drafts in the league’s history – if she elects not to return to Virginia Tech next season. She is also hoping to live a childhood dream to play for the Opals. Despite her high profile in the US and potent outside shot, Amoore has not been part of Sandy Brondello’s Australian team preparations ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“It’s definitely something that I really desire but the Opals have a great core group of girls and the ones that will be going to the Olympics have spent way more time with each other,” she says. “I respect those girls and I respect the coaching staff and if the opportunity arises, I will happily take it, but I’m also in a situation where I am in America and I can’t really go if they have a training camp on the other side of the world. I’ll just keep working hard and hopefully one day it happens.”
The Opals are not the only team in Amoore’s sights though – she doesn’t rule out one day playing for her beloved Geelong Cats in the AFLW. On a recent trip back to Australia, she went to a training session with the Cats’ men’s team, who presented her with a jersey – now one of her prized possessions. She immediately wore it to the park to kick the footy around.
“I love basketball and right now that’s my focal point, but playing in the AFLW is definitely something that I’d like to do,” she said. “Every recess and lunchtime in primary school I was out there playing footy with the boys and when I was 14, I joined my best mate’s boys team. I played until I was 15 or 16 when they said that I couldn’t play any more. I was in the midfield or front pocket, and loved grabbing the ball, sprinting, and bombing it. I never really had much direction, but I could get it on my foot pretty quick.”
That’s no surprise. Amoore’s release shooting a basketball is lightning quick. Could she use her kicking skills for Virginia Tech’s football team if they ever needed a punter on short notice? A few years back, Sydney’s Oscar Bradburn punted for the Hokies and almost 300 other Australians have punted for US colleges in recent years, so why not Amoore?
“I would love to!” Amoore says quickly.
So, if Virginia Tech suddenly needs a punter, they should call on Amoore. She could probably do it in thongs.
Don’t sleep on the Yellow Jackets heading into the 2026 season.
They have several big games in conference play against some of the conference’s elite. As they have shown us before, they are no stranger to pulling off big-time victories and shocking the college football world, especially as an underdog. Let’s talk about three reasons why the Yellow Jackets can beat the ACC elite this upcoming season.
1. They’ve Done It Before
Georgia Tech is no stranger to beating top ACC teams in the Brent Key era. They have done it consistently, multiple times. There are a myriad of examples to point to. You can go to the North Carolina game back in 2023, played in primetime on the Flats.
The Yellow Jackets defeated top pick and now New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in a 46-42 victory. You can go back to the 2024 season in Ireland when the Yellow Jackets upset then No.10 Florida State 24-21. In that same year, Georgia Tech knocked off future No.1 overall pick Cam Ward and the No.4 Miami Hurricanes, handing them their first loss of the season in a 28-23.
There are many other examples I can point to illustrate this point, but you can see the Yellow Jackets never back down and come to play when it matters most against the elite teams in the conference. They have done it with a good offense and an opportunistic defense. With Louisville, Clemson, and Virginia Tech on the schedule, they should be primed to do it again in 2026.
2. Georgia Tech Has An Identity
It is pretty simple: under head coach Brent Key, this Yellow Jackets team has an identity and a culture that sets it apart. They want to play physical, smash-mouth football and dominate you in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Coach Key has meant what he said this offseason about getting more size and girth, but also having offensive linemen who can move. It was one of the reasons why they were aggressive in the portal and one of the reasons why they are having success with the 2027 cycle.
When you look at Georgia Tech, they are going to run the football and play good defense. That makes the job easier for a first-time starter in Alberto Mendoza, who has a lighter load with the moves made this offseason. When you play in those major matchups, you have to lean on something to come out on top, and what better way than the true identity of your team?
3. The Defense Will Be Much Better
From top to bottom, the Yellow Jackets are poised to be much better defensively. When you look at the depth of the roster, the new defensive scheme, the talent level, and the hunger, you have a team that should be one of the better units in the conference. In order to beat the conference elite, you have to have a good defense that can travel and make plays late in games to seal it for you.
While Georgia Tech showed glimpses of that a season ago, the consistency in November just wasn’t there. With Jason Semore becoming the new defensive coordinator and a more attack-style, aggressive man-to-man defense, Georgia Tech should be equipped to force more turnovers and make a difference by getting the ball back to the offense.
The spring gave us a good glimpse of what the defense could look like despite so many injuries and players out. The defense flat-out shut down the Yellow Jackets, creating constant pressure and causing havoc for an offense trying to find its footing in the spring game. While some will say to take it with a grain of salt, it is clear that the Yellow Jackets will be a much better unit in 2026.
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Pennsbury Baseball Zuckerman District One Championship PIAA
Pennsbury junior Brendan Zuckerman smacks an RBI single to left in the Falcons’ 7-run first inning of District One 6A championship victory
Ryan Zuckerman is last on the alphabetical list of the 335 college and high school baseball players attending the June 22-27 MLB Draft Combine in Phoenix.
What the 2023 Pennsbury graduate did in his lone season at Georgia Tech has garnered him plenty of attention from MLB scouts regardless of where his name is on a list that includes Holy Ghost Prep grad Aiden Robbins, a Texas outfield standout who is expected to go as early as late in the first round, fellow Pennsbury graduate Joe Tiroly, an infielder from Virginia, and Pennsbury senior right-handed pitcher Keller Bradley.
MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament for the conference champion Yellow Jackets, second-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and leader in home runs (23) and RBIs (79, tied for eighth in the country) for the high-powered Georgia Tech offense are just a few of Zuckerman’s notable accomplishments heading into the July 11-13 draft. He is projected to go toward the middle of the 20 rounds.
“It’s pretty surreal for sure,” said Zuckerman, 21. “It’s something I dreamed of my whole life.”
In a season filled with memorable moments, perhaps most impressive was Zuckerman being named ACC Tournament MVP after hitting three home runs with six RBIs and batting .571 (8 for 14), culminating in a 13-6 championship game win over North Carolina in Charlotte. He also was a first-team All-ACC selection at third base.
Zuckerman and Georgia Tech went into the NCAA Atlanta regional as the nation’s No. 2 seed. Though the 50-11 Yellow Jackets ended up being eliminated by losing twice to Oklahoma, including 8-7 in 10 innings for the regional title, Zuckerman can only rave about his experience at Georgia Tech.
“If you would have told me that’s how the season for me and each of us on the team would’ve gone, I would’ve been extremely happy,” Zuckerman said. “It was probably the best decision I ever made in my life.”
After a solid sophomore season at Pitt in which he hit .295 with 16 doubles, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and 48 runs scored, Zuckerman believed transferring would help him develop into a more pro-ready player and allow him to win more games. And Georgia Tech checked all the boxes
In addition to his career-best home run and RBI numbers, Zuckerman led Georgia Tech in 2026 with 24 multi-RBI games while establishing career-highs in batting average (.345), runs (71), hits (80), walks (37), slugging percentage (.720) and on-base percentage (.438). He batted fifth in the order.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Zuckerman, who always had a strong arm, also worked hard to improve his defense at third base, resulting in 15.99 defensive runs saved for the season, which was the 13th-highest total in college baseball.
“I like to say I’m arguably the best third baseman in the country,” he said.
As a senior playing third at Pennsbury, Zuckerman hit .465 with an on-base percentage of .563, plus six doubles, six home runs, 23 RBIs and scored 26 runs.
“In high school, he was incredible for us,” said Pennsbury head coach Joe Pesci. “(A year ago), he decided to go from a mid- to low ACC team to the best team in the ACC. Surrounding himself with amazing players at Georgia Tech, he’s kind of elevated his game.”
Since the conclusion of the collegiate season, Zuckerman has been working out in preparation for the MLB Draft Combine and, ultimately, the draft. He’s been splitting his time between Yardley and Atlanta.
MLB teams have indicated Zuckerman’s power bat and defense are two of his strengths, while he’s focusing on improving his swing selection and making more contact at the plate.
Zuckerman is looking forward to hearing his name called by one of the 30 major league clubs. Whether a team views him as a third baseman, first baseman, corner outfielder or even second baseman doesn’t really matter to him.
“I think right now I’m in a great position to go and play professional baseball and start my journey up to the big leagues,” Zuckerman said. “The goal is not to get drafted – it’s to play MLB.”
Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly is a sports columnist for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.
Georgia
Georgia pair charged with murder after bartender’s dismembered remains found in lake outside Atlanta
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A Georgia pair have been charged with murder after allegedly slaughtering a bartender and dumping his dismembered remains in a lake, according to authorities.
Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, were arrested on Monday for allegedly murdering Jamal Rashad Parker, 37, in a home outside of Atlanta, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Investigators discovered Parker’s remains in May in the Dog River Reservoir, located about 30 miles outside Atlanta.
Parker’s identity was confirmed using DNA comparison technology after his father contacted authorities to report that the victim’s tattoos matched his son’s ink, local station WSB-TV reported.
MINNESOTA MAN ACCUSED OF DISMEMBERING GIRLFRIENDS, HIDING BODIES IN STORAGE UNITS ENTERS PLEA
Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, are charged with murder. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigators believe the two suspects killed Parker inside a home in Douglasville where Baker lived.
Late last month, investigators were observed leaving the home with a reciprocating saw and cleaning supplies, according to WSB-TV.
Police have not disclosed if Parker knew his alleged killers. However, a GoFundMe created by a family member described the pair as “people he knew and trusted.”
SUZANNE SIMPSON’S DNA FOUND ON MURDER SUSPECT HUSBAND’S SAW THAT CAN CUT METAL
A family member described Jamal Rashad Parker as a bartender, musician and artist with “a beautiful soul and spirit.” (GoFundMe)
The suspects pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday and are being held without bond. Both have lengthy criminal records, according to reports.
“I want them to be punished. And I don’t even think a life sentence is good enough,” Parker’s dad, Charles Parker, told WSB-TV outside the courthouse.
“It’s the kind of stuff you see on TV, but I mean … they had no remorse,” he added.
In addition to bartending at Ms. Icey’s Kitchen & Bar in Atlanta, the victim was a musician and artist with “a beautiful soul and spirit,” according to the GoFundMe page created to cover burial costs.
Investigators believe the two suspects killed the victim inside a home in Douglasville. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
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“He loved life and the people he met along his journey in life. He was a musical artist, visual artist, and a professional bartender who enjoyed creating new drinks. This has totally devastated our family and friends and has left us heartbroken,” the fundraiser reads.
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