Kai Woodfall was among a rich crop of players that claimed the state’s first ever medal at an under-18 national championship before finding himself isolated when the elite program was overhauled.

The Launceston-born point guard moved to Melbourne and ultimately landed a full basketball scholarship in the US where he has been able to watch the emergence and acceptance of Australian talent.

Having played alongside the likes of NBA sensations Ben Simmons and Dante Exum, Woodfall believes his home nation and state can be proud of their productivity.

“From grass roots up Australia is producing a lot better players and BTas is doing a really good job nowadays,” he said.

“They have put in a system that can produce a proportion of kids capable of making it to the next level if they are willing to do the work.

“In the past, people have questioned that in Tasmania but now, in terms of structure, system and coaching, it’s as good as anywhere and players can aspire to playing in the NBL, NBA or anywhere.”

While compatriots Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills and Joe Ingles have become NBA stars, Woodfall is among Tasmanians like Kyle Clark, Callum Barker, Tanner Krebs and AFL-convert Hugh Greenwood to have profited from the US collegiate system.

“I think having more Australians in the NBA helps coaches understand they can recruit in Australia and be comfortable with the decision. In the past maybe they did not trust the Australian system to produce players and that’s a testament to our state and national programs.

“Australia is now in the top three or four nations and always a medal chance at Olympics and world championships and it’s very motivating to see kids you’ve played with go on to great heights. There is no limit for Australian basketballers that are willing to work.”

Woodfall is halfway through a four-year scholarship at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri and gained first-hand experience of Australia’s growing stature in the States when his Bearcats played a Louisiana State University team featuring NBA No.1 draft pick Simmons.

“The hype around Ben was unreal. There were about 20 or 30 thousand fans at the game and when Ben got announced on court the stadium roof nearly came off.”

The former Punchbowl primary, Riverside high and Launceston College student, who played for City Rockets and Trojans in LSBL, was selected alongside Krebs and Barker in the Australian under-19 team for the 2013 FIBA Oceania Pacific Championships in New Zealand.

He was being coached by Justin Schueller of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport when its basketball program ceased following disagreements with Basketball Tasmania.

Looking back at the division as “just unfortunate circumstances”, Woodfall reflected: “At the age I was when the split happened there was nothing left for me here so I had to move to Victoria. It was just bad timing. It was all in turmoil and I could not wait for it to sort out.”

Teaming up with former Australian Institute of Sport coach Ian Stacker, Woodfall completed Grade 12 at Templestowe College in Melbourne before landing a basketball scholarship at SBU where he is studying for a bachelor of biology.

The team plays in Division 2 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and Woodfall, who turns 21 in September, would recommend the opportunity to other talented Tasmanian athletes.

“The more you are there, the more you realise how lucky you are. You get to travel, experience a different culture, meet incredible people, play basketball and get schooling paid for, it’s awesome.

“It’s definitely a good option and easy to see why so many kids are pursuing it.

“We think we are into sports in Australia but in America it’s ridiculous. Missouri does not have a pro basketball team so everyone follows college basketball, it’s like their AFL team.

“Our stadium seats about 3500 but when we play our main rivals we get 4500 in. Those games are huge and fun to play in. It’s great for us Australians to experience that atmosphere.”

Woodfall’s goals are to try and help the Bearcats claim a national title, complete his medicine studies to become an orthopaedic surgeon and play in the National Basketball League.

Having turned down the offer of a development position with Melbourne United to take up his US scholarship, a return to Australia’s national competition would see his basketball career come full circle.