Norths officials receive upgrades
Following a successful Representative basketball season, five Norths officials have received State and National recognition.
The representative calendar has wound down for another season. A season that saw success across our entire association, but importantly highlighted the hard work and dedication of individual members.
In the officiating space, five of our Norths crew have received an upgraded status heading into the off-season, a great personal achievement, and something to look forward to whilst preparing for 2027.
What does progression look like?
In the world of officiating, referees are constantly looking to evolve and step up, gaining more experience on the court, in the hopes of being selected for major tournaments, and even medal appointments.
There is a natural landscape of progression, which is set out by Basketball Australia; the national governing body in Australia. It involves a multi-tier ranking system, which sees a referee rewarded for their efforts and experience, and recognised via selections for these tournaments and key games. This framework has recently been updated, with the introduction of the ‘National Whole of Sport Pathway Framework’ (see appendix 1 below).
The accreditation pathway follows the below sequence:
Community Grades
C1
C2
C3
State Grades
S1
S2
S3
National Grades
N1
N2
N3
Appendix 1: National Whole of Sport Pathway Framework - Referee
Our Norths Officials
As mentioned, five members of our Norths officials database have received upgrades to their accreditation status.
Jake Jennings - State 3 > National 1
After stepping up as Crew Chief for the Men’s Gold Medal Game at the U18 National Championships and proving himself over two seasons in NBL1, Jake has earned his National 1 grading (formerly National Development). The milestone qualifies him for selection in the National Referee Development Program - a crucial step that expands his long-term pathway toward potential NBL, WNBL, and FIBA opportunities down the road.
Emmy Prykiel - State 2 > State 3
Emmy capped a standout year by leading the officiating team as Crew Chief in the U16 Women’s Bronze Medal Game at Nationals before blowing the whistle on her debut NBL1 season. Her stellar Waratah Senior League campaign culminated in a major milestone: earning a spot on the crew for the Waratah Women’s Grand Final in August.
Louis Brockwell - State 2 > State 3
Louis turned heads across both the Waratah Senior League and Junior Premier League (JPL) seasons, earning crucial assignments including the Youth Women 1 Semi-Final and the U18 JPL Grand Final. To top off a break-out year, Louis also made his official NBL1 debut.
Lilly Hogan - State 1 > State 2
Building on her 2025 selection for the U14 Club Championships, Lilly produced a strong Waratah Senior League season, regularly officiating Youth Men 1 and Youth Women 1 games, including several key assignments as Crew Chief. She is now gearing up for her second straight trip to the U14 Club Championships later this September.
Tiernan Bass - State 1 > State 2
Since relocating from Western Australia in early 2025, Tiernan has made an immediate splash across the Junior Representative and Waratah Senior League circuits. With rapid growth and high-level performances across the JPL State Championships, D-League, and senior competitions, his development this past season has been nothing short of exceptional.
Norths Officials Manager Vance Abreu says the group's dedication has been vital to the association's growth:
“The contribution of all five officials to Norths has been paramount. Their dedication extends well beyond officiating, with Emmy, Lilly and Louis actively coaching and mentoring aspiring referees across Friday and Saturday nights, supporting the development of 90+ officials.
Tiernan has demonstrated remarkable versatility, officiating across competitions from Under 14s through to Men’s Premier League, while Jake has been pivotal to the growth of the Officials Program, contributing to Norths being named the 2025 Referee Program of the Year in the 3,000+ member category.
Collectively, their commitment has elevated the Norths Officials Program by leaps and bounds.”
On behalf of the entire Northern Suburbs Basketball Association, we would like to congratulate each of the recognised officials for their efforts, and wish them the best as they prepare for next season in their new grades.
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