"He can do things on the basketball court that others simply can not. “Best ball handler I have ever seen,”

Willie Galick, NCAA Divison I signee with Pepperdine University, Leversage's teammate with the U-17 Provincial Team.

.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: RUSS WHITEHEAD
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JEFF CULLEN

.: RETRO MVP: AARON CHRISTENSEN
.: TEAM SPOTLIGHT: ST. GEORGES
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JACOB DOERKSEN
.: COACHES CORNER: TOM NEWELL
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: H. BRADFORD
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: CHARLIE SPURR
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: BRENT MALISH
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: AYMEN NURHUISEN
.: NEW BALANCE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
.: COACHES CORNER: BILL DISBROW
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JERON DILLON
.: 2004-05 AAA RANKINGS
.: TOP UNDERCLASSMEN: JR | SO | FR
.: 2004-05 PRE-SEASON ALL-BC TEAMS
.: PLAYER DIARY: TYRELL MARA

.: ARCHIVED PAST ARTICLES

(Pictured: Brett Leversage has represented BC for the past 4 years on numerous provincial teams.  Here Brett is working on his ball-handling at a recent session of DRIVE University.)

BRETT LEVERSAGE: DELTA PACERS

Brett Leversage has been a fixture on the BC hoops scene for years.  He has played for Basketball BC's provincial team for the past 4 summers.  Brett is a 1st team All-BC selection.

Brett Leversage is one of the most exciting players to watch this year. Brett is a senior combo guard for the Delta Pacers who is averaging 30 points, 6 boards, 4 assists, and 4 steals per contest. The slick guard known as “Levi” has a deadly combination of speed and athleticism that makes him a nightmare for opposing coaches. He has the athletic capabilities to finish above the rim while slicing past his defenders. He can get to the basket at will and he has a silky smooth release on his finger rolls. Levi doesn’t go to a powerhouse basketball school such as Argyle and Handsworth so he doesn’t always get the attention that his fellow provincial team members do. That doesn’t bother him one bit though. Levi plays the game with reckless abandonment. "He can do things on the basketball court that others simply can not. “Best ball handler I have ever seen,” says Willie Galick, fellow provincial team member, “he has done moves in games that we only try when there is no one else in the gym! Great passer, and a real team player, he knows what it takes to win a game.” His teammates know that Levi has special qualities about him that separates him from the rest.

His game resembles that of Dwayne Wade, an ultra athletic guard with the ability to penetrate at will. However his favorite player in the League has that old school game. “My favorite player would definitely have to be Gary Payton. Well, the Gary Payton from the late 90’s because he could do everything. He was the best defender in the league, he could rebound, slash, post up, and could find his open teammates. He could do everything that I try to do on the court.” If you ask his opponents about Levi they’ll probably tell you the same about his game. In the beginning of the year at the HSBC tournament Levi showcased his skills against #1 Argyle. He helped keep the game close scoring 37 points in a variety of ways, cutting and weaving through the defense, but his team eventually lost to the defending BC provincial champs by 7. With the good showing at the HSBC tournament it helped Levi and his teammates believe that they could compete with the best. “ We gained confidence from the tourney.” Levi says, “We didn’t know how good we were going to be and it was good to get a feeling of where were at. We know we got a long way to go, but we think we can be a top team.”

Levi is an extremely hard working player with lots of confidence and the game to back it up. He’s got a couple of personal goals set out for himself this season and he doesn’t want hard work to be the reason why he doesn’t achieve them. “ I can’t get a lot of gym time at my school, so when I do get it then I make sure I go hard to make the most of it. To help prepare myself for the season I’ve tried to improve my conditioning, I know I’m going to have to play lots so I need to be in top shape.” Levi knows all the personal accolades don’t mean anything if his team isn’t playing in March. “My personal goals and team goals are to take my team to the provincials. Anything less and the season is a disappointment to me in my mind.” Spoken like a true leader.

Levi hasn’t put a lot of thought in what he wants to do after his senior season because all he wants to do right now is win. The advice the Levi offers to young players growing up in BC is simple, “Work on having a complete game. Don’t be afraid of working on your weaknesses, because soon they’ll be your strengths.” This is advice that has helped him become one of BC’s best.

DRIVE would like to wish Brett and his Delta teammates the best of luck for the rest of the 2005 AAA Season and their quest to secure a birth at the AAA Provincial Championships.