North West Thunder guard Tre Armstrong joined Brent and AJ to discuss his big game-winner last week, what he wants to do with is basketball in the future and his NBL1 season so far.
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SEN Tassie
North West Thunder guard Tre Armstrong (28/06/24)
Edging towards the basket, puts it off the window down the floor here, three ultimate defenders get back. Armstrong, four on the clock. Armstrong, very simple. Is that the game? There you go. How good was that? Trey Armstrong's buzzer beater in NBL1 last weekend. And pleased to say Alex Johnston, the tray joins us on the line. Morning, Trey, welcome to the show, mate. Morning, fellas. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Well done on that. That was magnificent last weekend. Incredible shot there to win against Eltham. What goes through your head in those situations when the game's on the line, mate? Yeah, that was good fun. Obviously, not too much goes through your head. You should just go and play by play, and it all happens pretty quick when you're out on the floor. So you've got to be ready to go, I suppose, but I didn't have too much time to think about it. The ball just zipped out and made a fly and just had it when it went in. It was a good win for us boys, so happy with the shot. And your teammate, I obviously thought you were the man for the job because he could have taken the shot, but he threw it off to you. Yeah, obviously, just good decision-making from him, mate. Hey, it was awesome to see you back in Northwest under colours from last year, mate. So how are you enjoying your time back home after spending some time over there in the States? Yeah, I'm loving it, mate. It's been a lot of fun. It's just good being around friends, getting to play the game and playing for my uncle Sam as head coach is really kind as well. So overall, it's just good fun to be playing back home after that time away, and I've loved it. I've really enjoyed it. Growing up on the Northwest Coast, Tuesday, Wednesday night, whenever the basketball used to be, it was a huge event. I was a Latrobe boy. They used to pack it out and no bigger names than your dad and uncle in the league in that day. What do you think it is about the Northwest Coast in basketball that makes such a big sport up there? Yeah, it's huge, and it still is to this day. It's just a big sporting community, especially up here on the Northwest Coast. We have this stretch of eight towns, and every town has its own sporty identity, and its own basketball identity as well. So I think there's people in the local towns that get around it, and then there's players in the local towns, natural competitions, especially between those guys that play for the funder as well. And overall, this makes for a pretty cool product, I suppose, and something that's pretty unique to our area of the map. I'm glad that traditions got on because it was so exciting. I remember a guy I went to high school with, he got like two minutes one night, but it was the biggest deal in the world, and we basically gave him a ticket tape parade when he came to school the next day. Does that still go on when you get a young guy in the court for the first time? Is there a lot of buzz around it? Yeah, definitely. I don't think it's as prevalent now as it was 20 years ago, but I think it's still a great moment for young kids, and it's something for them to aspire to as they're developing, because obviously you have your state teams and all that stuff. But I think it's still a milestone for those guys when they get to play senior basketball. But yeah, I definitely think that that special specialness is still there in the way that's not something. We've got the style basketball from Tasmania on the line tray Armstrong joining us here on SCN Tassie Breakfast Show. We know you signed a DP contract with the Jackies last year, but later requested a release. Reflecting on that a year on was that the right decision for you at the time, and are you interested in getting back on an NBA roster at some point? Yeah, it was a really tough decision, because obviously it's an incredible program down there with the Jackies. And I'm always a fan, and I loved watching the first couple of years, but for me I just needed to step away from the game in general. After the deal with whoever I was going to play for, I just needed a little break, and it definitely was the best decision I could have made just for a variety of things that were happening in my life at the time. So definitely don't regret the decision. And then from now into the future, I'm still deciding which path I want to take, whether I dive into playing or look into coaching or whatever else. I'm still figuring that out, just trying to have some fun whilst playing up here during that decision-making process. Yeah, cool. Thanks for the honesty too. So you're not sure what you do at the end of this NBA one season just yet then? No, not just yet. There's a couple of things floating around in my mind right now, and just still trying to figure out exactly what that looks like. But it'll definitely involve basketball in some capacity, no doubt. We've got some attention. How did you enjoy watching the Jack Jumpers as a fan mate with what they achieved a few months ago? It must have been pretty special, being a Tasmanian, seeing us win the championship? Yeah, it was brilliant. And I think the coolest part of it was the whole process was just done the right way, obviously from afar, obviously having close connections within the program in Mark Radford and whatnot. But just watching it as a fan, you could tell that they just kept on getting better and better, and they were really, really good when it matters most at the end of the season. So it was really cool to just watch that whole process and, you know, from an expansion team to do that. I think it was just cool for everyone to be involved as a fan, and it was awesome to watch. You mentioned Mark Radford, who I think sort of underrated in the whole Jackie setup, just the most affable fellow you've made. Tell me a little bit about your interactions with him over the years would be from an early age, I would have imagined. Yes, so he's been sort of my basketball mentor and a life mentor really for a lot of my life. And it's been really cool to see his journey as a coach and, yeah, you're right, an integral part of what they achieved. No question, I think people don't understand the IQ and the responsibility that he has in that Jackie's coaching setup. So it's very cool to see him succeed. And, yeah, no, lucky to have him as a mentor, definitely. Can you expand on that a little bit for me? When do you watch a game and you see the timeouts and see how, you know, he's right in the thicker things? Do you ever see something that you think he's got his fingerprints on, either a change or something like that, knowing him so well? Can you notice those little things? Yeah, absolutely. And I suppose a big part of it is the way that Jackie's played offensively and been around that for a long time. He's always been a superb offensive coach and has a great feel for the game and seeing their style of play. And that was, you know, a similar style of a play to how we used to play with our coaches made in state teams. And it's really cool to see the performances had on that offense, specifically, and some of their defensive stuff. But it's probably the stuff behind the scenes that general fans don't understand how much work coaches do. So it was cool to see that reward for all his effort over the years in their leadership. Great to have try Armstrong as part of S.E. and Tazzy breakfast this morning. Try, obviously, day two, the NBA draft this morning. Where does your brother, Taryn, sit in the scheme of things as he moves forward with his basketball career. We've seen him go to a few camps, et cetera, with the NBA. What do you think he sits? Yeah, he's done a really, really good job over the process. I've actually got the draft on TV now just in case something happens late. He's been, from all reports, he's been right on the fringe of the end of the second round or something potentially happening in the next couple of days. Post draft, so he's put himself in a really good position to make something happen for himself. There's a variety of different contracts and things that are available these days. But overall, I think he's worked super hard over the last couple of months and he's done a lot of workouts with teams. He's given himself the best chance to take his basketball forward, so whatever happens over the next couple of weeks or so, he's definitely done us proud. No question. Some breaking news here too, Bronnie James has been drafted by the Lakers. So, first father, son, duo on the same team in NBA history. So, there's some breaking news for you this morning here on S.E. and Tazzy breakfast. So, now, let's get back to your game with the Thunder this weekend. You're at home against the Diamond Valley Eagles and then looking forward to that this weekend, right? Yeah, really looking forward to that. That game will be tonight and they're an underrated team. They've struggled throughout the year, but their last four, five games, they've beat really good teams that they've been in the mix. So, we're expecting a really tough one tonight. I've got a full roster. They've bought some good gym and we're expecting a battle tonight, but, you know, we've been pretty solid. So, we're just trying to get a big win at home throughout the end and we've got to play the right way, so hopefully we can do that tonight. Awesome, Trey. Well, let's hope you hit another big winner and get the Thunder over the line. Last question from me. You spent some time in the States, obviously playing college ball over there. Who's going to win the great debate today? Are you on Biden or Trump? Oh, yikes. I didn't realize that was today. Can you say option C? I don't know. Sounds like we've got a Kennedy Jr fan. He's going to vote RFK, so there you go. Very good. Yes, best of luck for the rest of the season with the Thunder and can't wait to see what you do next. I'll be honest to you about whether it might be in coaching because that's a very viable path these days. And now, friend Tim Payne is at the same stage of his career, isn't he, thinking about what's next? Absolutely. I appreciate your time this morning. Trey, you're a star, mate. Thanks for jumping on and good luck tonight and tomorrow over in Melbourne as well. Appreciate your time on SCN. Tazzy breakfast. Awesome. Thanks so much, guys. Appreciate it. Trey Armstrong star of Tasmanian basketball. And I wonder whether he was named after Trey Parker, who, of course, wrote the funniest basketball movie ever, basketball. I should have asked him. I don't reckon he was. I don't think he was. I reckon he might have been. Around that time, South Park's big. What do you think? Anyway, I'll ask his dad if I ever cross paths with him. Maybe not, though. Maybe not. Still time to get in touch with us on the Harcourt's Open Line this morning, 0437, 52535, or call us 1342-1533. Harcourt's more than just real estate professionals. We are off to a break coming back with a sports update. Thanks to United Forklift and Access Solutions. It's breakfast powered by Kubota. Take on any job with Kubota's range of tractors, mowers and utility vehicles. [MUSIC]