THIS weekend marks the Grand Final of the Big V Youth Championship Men’s season for 2025, with just two teams remaining in the hunt for the ultimate prize as the Frankston Blues and the Kilsyth Cobras lock horns.

It is a double appearance for the Cobras, who have also made it in the Youth Championship Women’s competition as well, while the Blues are looking to cap off a strong campaign. It is a fitting finish to the season given these were the top two sides at the end of the home and away season, setting up what should be an enthralling decider.

Both sides were forced to go through the semi finals after losing their qualifying final matchups in the first week of the postseason. The Cobras were able to best the Knox Raiders, while the Blues managed to get the better of the Casey Cavaliers, and it seems appropriate that these are the two teams still standing after three weeks of finals.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will highlight a key player for each team, who will undoubtedly play a vital role in getting their respective teams to victory on the biggest stage, starting with an in-form gun for the Cobras.

Kilsyth Cobras – Isaac Ghosn

No player has been better across all three finals for the Cobras than Ghosn, who has stepped up on the offensive end and been a key player across both wins and losses. He has shown the ability to take over matches with his scoring capability, and will again be a key contributor for the home side at Kilsyth Sports Centre on Saturday night.

Despite the first up loss to the Casey Cavaliers, Ghosn was still impressive with his scoring output, posting 21 points, while also having an impact in other areas of the game, producing eight rebounds and five assists. His performance was a shining light in a tough loss, and it was evident that if some of his teammates lifted, it would certainly go far towards a Cobras win.

Although he was not able to repeat those feats in the semi final, Kilsyth importantly got the job done and advanced to the preliminary final, where Ghosn had another big say in the result. He dropped 24 points, six rebounds and six assists in a match-winning performance, showing that he is built to perform under bright lights.

If Ghosn can produce a similar performance on the big stage, and deliver another 20+ point performance while also having an impact as a passer and rebounder, it will be huge for the Cobras’ championship aspirations.

Frankston Blues – Lachlan Kanngiesser

Kanngiesser missed the qualifying final loss in week one of the postseason, but returned to the fold with the Blues’ season on the line seven days later. He proved to be a massive difference for Frankston, and looms as a central figure tomorrow night.

During the semi final win over the Sabres, he was a bit rusty, but still showed promise having been injected back into the starting lineup. Although Kanngiesser shot just 2/11 from the field, he still finished with eight points and three rebounds, and most importantly, looked extremely dangerous with ball in hand.

However, it was his preliminary final performance that stamped him as a key player for the Blues, with Kanngiesser proving the most impactful player on the court and a difference-maker for Frankston. In a big win over the Cavaliers, he produced 19 points on 9/18 shooting from the field, stepping up for some big baskets to lead his side to a Grand Final berth.

If he can continue to build on these performances and stand up to be the leading scorer once again in tomorrow night’s Grand Final, the Blues are every chance of knocking off the Cobras in enemy territory on the big stage.