Basketball: Age no object to champion Rosmini coach Matt Lacey

Matt Lacey was just 22 when he guided Rosmini College to their second national secondary schools basketball title last year.

That makes him the youngest ever to achieve that feat as a head coach and proves that age is just a number, but he admits it comes with challenges.

"I was on tour recently and there was a kid in my team that had a full on beard that was on court," Lacey told Newshub. "There were a few comments saying maybe we should switch places."

Nearly 400 teams registered for this year's secondary schools tournament and next week, the top 24 will battle for national supremacy.

Rosmini are still the team to beat. Not only are they defending champions, but they have one of the most promising rosters in the tournament and a history-making coach.

Lacey began his coaching career after he left high school, taking it up after a suggestion from a former teacher. He began with the school's junior sides and eventually made his way right to the top.

Despite his inexperience, he's managed to make his age work in his favour.

"He has an ability to connect to players individually, not only on the court, but off the court," Rosmini captain Kruz Perrot-Hunt told Newshub.

But also working in Lacey's favour is the number of players he has to choose from.

"Rosmini is typically a rugby-centred school, but around 2010, numbers really exploded," Lacey said.

"We won the national championship in 2011 and off the back of that, for a school that has around 1100 students, we have 300-plus playing basketball.

"It continues to grow."

That trend has been mirrored around the country, with basketball projected to be the most-played secondary schools sport by 2020.

It means the premier national basketball tournament is more competitive than ever.

"Because I've been in the league about five years, I definitely think competition has gotten a lot better," Perrot-Hunt said.

"It [used to be] individual players in each team, but now it's beginning to be whole teams."

Rosmini are a prime example of the standard rising. Not only do they have a Tall Blacks squad member in Perrott-Hunt, but three national under 17 representatives and four more about to trial for that side.

Oh, and a former Junior Tall Black as a coach.

Rosmini have only lost one game this season and go into the tournament as firm favourites. The only difference is this year they're the hunted and Lacey says they’re prepared for the challenge.

"We have a target on our backs so we've got to be ready."

Newshub.