GEELONG and KILSYTH, Australia -Two former Nicholls State University men's basketball players are making their mark in the world of professional basketball as Nicholls graduates and former Colonel basketball standouts Dominic Friend and Ryan Bathie picked up major accolades in Australia's professional basketball scene this week.

Friend, who graduated from Nicholls this past May, was the first to put the Colonels on the Australian basketball map this week by leading the Geelong Supercats to a South East Australia Basketball League South Conference Championship Game vicory over the Hobart Chargers on Aug. 23.

Friend, a Geelong native and son of former Geelong Supercat John Friend, is in his first season playing for his hometown team.  The former Colonel power forward is averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in his first ten contests in a Geelong uniform.  However, Friend came up big when it mattered most in Geelong's win over Hobart.

In the SEABL South Conference title game, Friend pulled down ten rebounds (three offensive, seven defensive) and put an end to a big Hobart run by converting a crucial three-point play and help Geelong hang on for the 99-87 victory.

With the win, Geelong advances to the All-SEABL Grand Final against the Bendigo Braves.  Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. local time (1:00 a.m. Thibodaux time) on Aug. 28.

Not to be outdone, Nicholls class of 2009 alumnus Ryan Bathie helped the Colonels gain some headlines Down Under later in the week as the Kilsyth Cobras swingman picked up one of the SEABL's greatest honors being named Australian Youth Player of the Year for the SEABL East Conference.

The award, given to Australia's top players 23 years of age and under, puts Bathie among some of the best basketball prospects Australia has to offer.

Bathie received 23 votes from opposing coaches and captains to clinch his first Australian Youth Player award ahead of Australian Men's National Team member Hugh Greenwood.  Bathie helped Kilsyth to a 19-8 regular season record by averaging 14.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2 assists on the year while turning in six 20-point performances.