The moment had arrived for Jayde Brazendale.
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The one thought she had envisaged from the Elphin wooden stands for years.
The 16-year-old rookie was now starting for her beloved Launceston Tornadoes.
“I was always here, sitting behind the bench, watching them all play,” she smiled.
“I always thought I was the loudest cheerer back then.
“I just wanted to get on there with them.”
Brazendale tells how she would watch the nuances of play from her idols Tayla Roberts and Mikaela Ruef and mimic their every moves.
Now after 14 SEABL games this year, the rising centre was part of the big stage, not just a bit player off the bench.
“I definitely would go and watch all the little things that Tayla and Mikela did because I knew I would be playing like they were on the court,” Brazendale said.
“They were the two main players that I would watch.”
But looking across at tip-off, she found Reuf decked out in Hobart blue. It just added to the occasion for the women’s intrastate clash and faith coach Richard Dickel had placed in Brazendale.
Roberts collected 18 points and six rebounds, while Reuf picked up 14 and eight.
Brazendale’s numbers – a season-high 11 points with five boards – stacked up like a wily veteran, not nervy teen.
“I think last week I was just a little bit more nervous against Hobart,” she said.
“But I know Richard has so much confidence in me, so I don’t feel so nervous and scared like if I do make a mistake that it’s not the end of the world.”
Focusing on the club’s last home game of the regular season, the 185cm prospect feels she can not only compete with Canberra’s big bodies, but can also forge out a career inside the paint.
After playing more than 10 minutes just twice in her first seven games, not only has she spent more than 10 minutes on court in all of the last seven, but more than 20 minutes four times.
“Just having the opportunity to get out on the court, I think that’s the only way I’m going to learn from my mistakes,” she said.
The busy year 11 Newstead College student is doing everything to stay grounded.
She attributes that to her teammates, half of which are still teenagers themselves.
“Just being around everyone, they just make you feel amazing,” Brazendale said.
“I love the team we’ve got this year. It’s just the team environment for getting better and improving from the more experienced players.”