Basketball
4 February, 2025
Livingstone's meteoric rise
Micah Livingstone has been selected for the 2025 Country Victoria State Under-18 basketball team. The team will play in the National Championships at the South Pine Sports Complex in Brisbane from April 6 to April 13. Livingstone has had a meteoric rise in the last 12 months after battling injuries.
Before 2024, Micah Livingstone battled many injuries, most notably a foot injury. Over the last 12 months, he has enjoyed a meteoric rise in basketball and his determination and hard work have rewarded him with his goal of making the state team.
In 2024, Livingstone played for Dandenong, where they won the junior classic and the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) championship.
That win took the team to Hoopsfest, Australasia’s biggest basketball, culture and lifestyle festival.
He was also selected in the State Performance Program, bypassing the State Development Program.
In the Country Basketball League for the Horsham Hornets, Livingstone starred from the get-go, coming off the bench to provide plenty of defense and scoring opportunities.
In a terrific debut season, he won the title with Horsham and was crowned the league MVP, which is rare for a 16-year-old in a rookie season.
Livingstone then played for the under-18 Victorian Goldminers in the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup, held at Albury in January. His performance in the tournament and his hard work over the last three years have earned him a place on the state team.
Livingstone recalled the moment he was informed of his selection.
"My mind was racing, and I was in a bit of shock. I was literally shaking," Livingstone said.
"I was shocked, to be honest. I have worked hard for this, and getting there has been a big goal.
"To be told I made the team is a great feeling and rewarding."
When asked if, 12 months ago, he thought he would have half the year he had, he said, 'No.'
"It's just been a crazy 12 months with what I have achieved, and I am just looking forward to the next step," Livingstone said.
Livingstone highlighted the work he puts in.
"I train every day. I don't go a day without having a basketball in my hand," Livingstone said.
"I do one and a half to two hours every single day, and I also do weights training four to five days a week, and it's rewarding to be doing that and then get to where I want to be."
Livingstone thanked Cam Bruce for his help.
"I have to shout out a big thank you to Cam Bruce," Livingstone said.
"He has given up time two mornings a week before school, helping me with shooting and getting the reps up.
"He would help me with positional work, post moves and ball handling skills and things like that."
"I think it's been a big help to me, and to do that and give up time for me has been great."
Livingstone also thanked his parents, Stuart and Laetitia.
"I couldn't have done this without my parents," Livingstone said.
"The amount of travel to and from Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo and giving up their own time when they have full-time jobs, and to sacrifice that for me, means the world.
"They have been doing it for two and a half years. Every Thursday, we would go down for training and return on Saturdays. It's about eight to 15 hours a week for basketball, and they both took turns getting me to where I needed to be."
"We have also shared it with the Munyards, which has been good."
"My parents have let me go and pursue my dreams and do my best at basketball, and it's really what I want to do, and I wouldn't be anywhere close without their support."
Livingstone knows that hard work starts now. He wants to be the best he can be and win the national titles in April.
"The goal is to win this, and the work starts now, it never stops," Livingstone said.
"I have to put my head down and prepare myself the best I can for the Nationals. I'm not sure how far I could take this.
"Kids get selected for the Australian team out of it, and I am going to prepare myself the best I can."
"I want to put our team in a winning position whether it's me going out there getting rebounds, playing defense or scoring, and I am going to play my role and do the best I can."
Livingstone is attending Melbourne Grammar School this year, which will help with his basketball as it will limit travel time.
"I will be closer to training and won't be as fatigued as the travel does wear the body and mind out, so it's going to help me," Livingstone said.
"Getting those 20 hours of travel back will help as I can train more and do more school work."
Even more special for Micah is that he gets to do this with his best friend, Levi.
"It's amazing for me, if I am honest," Livingstone said.
"Levi has been my best friend since kindergarten. We spent most of our junior career together and played with the Hornets until about the under-16s/under-18s when we went our separate ways - him to Ballarat and me to Dandenong.
"Being part of each other's journeys is incredible, and sharing it with my best friend is fantastic. We dreamed about this as little kids; being part of it is excellent.
"It's a great feeling knowing that I am going away to the team for the Nationals, and doing it with my best friend is amazing."