The next generation of Australian basketball is in a good place.
That was on show in Canberra in the middle of November at the FIBA U15 Oceania Cup, with countries from around the region descending on the nation's capital to compete for gold.
The Crocs -- Australia's U15 boys national team -- walked away with that gold medal, thanks to a dominant 96-68 win over New Zealand.
The victory meant the team finished the tournament undefeated, just like their female counterparts: the U15 Sapphires, who also defeated New Zealand to win gold on the women's side of the bracket.
The Crocs showed noticeable improvement over the course of the tournament -- demonstrated by their opener against New Zealand going to overtime, before Australia beat them handily in the gold medal game -- with each player seemingly finding their footing more and more with each game.
"I've loved the growth of everyone," Crocs head coach Ash Arnott told ESPN.
"It's been really positive to see how they've all bought in and tried to change their style of game for the better, which tells me that they're all coachable.
"The pleasing thing for us is that the players have been receiving the teaching really well and, if you've been watching the games, you're seeing a difference in how we're trying to play and how we're trying to build, especially on the defensive end."
"In a world where everyone wants to be the star, the fact they all accepted their role was a true testament to these kids and the want to win gold for their country."
It can sometimes be difficult to evaluate talent within this age group -- primarily filled with 2009 and 2010 born prospects -- but there were some standouts from this Crocs team.
Here are the prospects -- all of whom are 2009-born -- that caught the eye.
Will Hamilton
Hamilton was probably the Australian that stood out the most over the course of the week.
The 6'5 forward was named the tournament's MVP, averaging 18.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, including an efficient 22 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in the gold medal game against New Zealand.
The thing that stands out about Hamilton is his size and athleticism. He has a really solid frame for his age, and plays with a unique physicality. He has a footy background, which translates to him being an elite rebounder; he sees the flight of the ball extremely well, and has a great nose for the ball. He played above the rim a lot over Australia's four games, which included a mixture of transition dunks and two-foot finishes in the half-court.
The physical presence, however, shouldn't overshadow what really is a high-level skillset. Hamilton showed enough chops as a three-level scorer -- the 20% from downtown wasn't really indicative of his ability as a shooter -- and made some smart reads out of the post. The 15-year-old was primarily played as a big throughout the tournament, but that felt more like a necessity because of his size; the perimeter scoring and ability to grab and go off rebounds gives enough of an indication that he can be a wing moving forward.
"Will plays with an energy and toughness people like to see," Arnott said of the country Victorian.
"When he goes out there, he's just being himself. He knows no other way but to give his best effort. So, for us, he's had that physical presence all week. I think everyone loves the shaggy blonde mullet, so I think he's the player everyone's really enjoyed watching.
"Just the way he attacks the rebounds, the way he's willing to use his physicality on the defensive end. You've felt his presence out on the court."
The word around the gym, albeit not completely confirmed, was that Hamilton has yet to begin lifting weights -- instead, exclusively doing pushups and pullups -- and he consumes two litres of milk a day.
Antonio Browne
Not only was Browne one of the most impressive players throughout this tournament; he's also the one whose game will most likely continue to translate as he competes at higher levels over the next few years.
Browne is a 6'4 point guard with impressive length and athleticism, showing a defence-first mentality over the week. Out of south Sydney, Browne was an active and willing defender, playing the passing lanes extremely well, which sparked Australia's ability to push in transition.
The athletic tools became clearer over the tournament, as well as Browne's point guard skillset; in the halfcourt, he sees angles really well, using his athleticism and twitchiness to create advantages before creating for himself or others.
"I think his buy-in this week to running the team has been awesome, in terms of running the point, taking on defensive tasks with the best guards on the other teams," Arnott said of Browne.
"His growth has been huge just over the last week, so his ceiling can be anything. He's got high standards, so I can imagine he wants to try and follow the footsteps of those that have been before him, in Josh Giddey, and [Tyrese] Proctor, and these point guards that have come out of Australia in the last couple of years."
Browne averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game -- while shooting 60.9% from the field, including 37.5% from downtown -- and projects as this age group's primary point guard and ball carrier as international tournaments begin to roll around.
Lucas Byrne
If you asked around the gym in Canberra over the week, on who impressed most, Byrne was a name that was consistently brought up.
What's fascinating is that it's tough to point to an elite skill of his, but that doesn't diminish how valuable he was for this Australian team. The 6'5 forward primarily played the role of a connective big, making winning plays on a consistent basis throughout the tournament.
He'd sprint the lanes to open things up for his teammates, and would grab multiple tough rebounds a game, leading the team with 8.8 boards a contest.
"Lucas is the epitome of Aussie basketball," Arnott said.
"Tough and will do anything to win for the team. He was the Nick Kay of our group... putting out fires on the defensive end."
Luke Paul
Paul is one of those players who has the type of game that should continue to translate with each level he plays at.
The 6'3 guard excelled both on and off the ball, showing some creation chops, while making good reads as a wing. The three-point numbers weren't outstanding -- just 10% from downtown -- but the shooting action we saw in warmups and practices looked smooth, so there's reason to think he'd project as an effective shot-maker going forward.
The high-level reads, length, shooting potential, and the fact that it looks like he still has a significant amount of growing to do, makes Paul -- a Western Australian -- one worth tracking going forward.
Isaiah Jorgenson
If there was one player from this Australian group that feels like the safest bet to be a high level prospect down the line, it's Jorgenson.
The 6'6 wing is long, and looks like he still has a decent amount of growing to do. There's an athletic base there so, if he continues to fill out, he'll have the frame of a prototypical wing every pro team is looking for.
Over the week, Jorgenson showed the ability to get two feet in the paint with some regularity, and really effectively made shots over length inside. The Queensland-native had some crafty finishes at and around the rim, including a bit of an in between game, and was able to use his size to grab rebounds and push the pace.
What was perhaps most encouraging was that he clearly grew in confidence over the week, and quickly found his footing on both ends of the floor. That progress he showed is a really useful indicator for any young player's ability to develop over time.
"They've all got great length," Arnott said of his group.
"Each individual has some sort of skillset or appearance about them, whether it's someone like a Luke [Paul] with his length, or John Aryang with his athleticism. Even if you look at someone like a Tom Dammers, with his gritty plays. There's Andrew Watene, with that electric first step and speed. They've all got a skill that I think can take them to the next level."