From rugby field to hardwood: Roman Siulepa is Brisbane's top basketball prospect

Siulepa recently joined forces with Sunshine Coast native Rocco Zikarsky at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament, where the Queensland duo led Australia to a gold medal.

Dual-sport prospect Roman Siulepa is one of the most exciting talents to come out of Queensland in recent years.

While the 17 year old has excelled on the rugby field, where he intends to represent the heralded Brisbane State High School, it’s Siulepa’s basketball exploits that have drawn international attention. At the recent Albert Schweitzer tournament in Germany, Siulepa announced himself as one of the top prospects in the world, ranking sixth in scoring average (18.4 points per game), fifth in steals average (2.0 per game) and twelfth in rebound average (6.7 per game). His rise to prominence has coincided with that of compatriot Rocco Zikarsky, a fellow Queenslander who hails from the Sunshine Coast and once suited up for crosstown rivals Brisbane Grammar.

Together, Zikarsky and Siulepa formed a near-unstoppable duo as Australia romped to a 7-0 record, winning every game by double digits until the final showdown against Serbia - where they came away 71-65 winners. Siulepa had one of his quieter games in the finale, with five turnovers and a 5/17 clip from the field, but it was during the semi-finals where we saw the real Roman in action.