HE would not have thought it possible 14 months ago but Australian Institute of Sport-bound basketballer Jeromie Hill feels indebted to the honesty of his junior representative coach Joel Khalu.

Hill packs his bags in January for Canberra to join the nation’s sporting elite less than two years after Khalu dropped him to the Cairns Stingers B representative team.

Talent was never a problem for the 200cm 17-year-old – attitude was the leash keeping him tethered to mediocrity.

"I had always kind of been there but I was lazy as a player," Hill
admitted.

"About 14 months ago Joel just told me one day I was lazy and that I would be training with the B team.

"I was mad at the time and just wanted to get out there and prove him wrong."

Feeling like his pride had been stabbed by a carving knife rather than pricked by a sewing needle, a motivated Hill set about showing his coach what he could do.

Stripping 16kg off his frame, Hill threw himself into training and the rewards followed.

State representative honours and a Queensland Academy of Sport scholarship were attained before the AIS came knocking after witnessing the power forward’s skills at a selection camp.

"It’s exciting because the way I see it it’s a reward for a lot of hard work," Hill said.

"I want to try and eventually get into the American college system and come back one day and play in the NBL or even higher.

"Joel and I are best mates now. Getting dropped was the best thing that could have happened to me."

Khalu, who has coached Hill since under-14 level, always hoped his charge would respond to the challenges he set him.

"Jeromie was always an exceptional talent and had the tools to play at a higher level but his work ethic and attitude were holding him back," he said.

"I called him in one day and told him that I thought his talent was at an A-team level but that his attitude was at a B team-level and that he would be training with the B team until he fixed it.

"Since he’s made these adjustments we’ve developed a much better coach-player relationship and now we can sit down off the court and we can talk about basketball and other things going on in his life.

"I’m very proud of what he’s achieved. This is why you become a coach."

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