RMIT's Justin Guppy added the scoring title to RMIT's regular season title when he put up 35 points in the final round against LTU. The RMIT pocket dynamo was on fire yet again, scorching LTU from all corners as he done on a regular basis all season. This effort not only securing the scoring title with a 29.4 point average, but also earning Guppy Player of the Week honours and more importantly suring up RMIT as title favourites.

Uni League was lucky enough to pry Guppy away from his busy study schedule to answer a few questions leading up this Fridays Grand Final match up with Monash.

Name: Justin Guppy

Age: 25

Course: Product Design, RMIT University

Nicknames: JT, Soul Train

Where did you play juniors? Where do you play now?

JG: I played juniors for Southern District Spartans in Brisbane. I moved to Melbourne when I was 13 and started playing with Bulleen Boomers, then rep ball on friday nights for Camberwell Dragons. I am now playing for Hawthorn Magic in Big V (Div 1) Last season was my first season playing at that level.

How did you end up playing for RMIT in Uni League?

JG: I had heard about a Uni League starting up during Southern Uni Games, but I didn't follow it up. Later, once the season had started, one of my Magic team mates, Tommy Forde who was playing for Monash, said that the comp was awesome and I should come down and check it out. So one week I went down, ran into some of the RMIT boys and they asked me to fill in because they were short, then after the game they asked if I could play every week.

Can you talk about your experiences playing with RMIT teams behind guys like Brett Dobson and Heath Hay etc and how it compares to playing for a different RMIT team in Uni League?

JG: The teams I was a part of for Uni Games were insane, some of the best players and best blokes I have come across. Players like Dobbo, H, Trevor Smyth, Ash Nesbitt would always be able to still dominate, even with massive hangovers. Uni Games for RMIT Basketball always lived by the motto "Play hard, party harder." And we did, but we still got pretty good results on the basketball side of things. Playing with this Uni League team has been great, they play a very uptempo, run all game style of basketball, which suits me. I think I was quite lucky to step into a team that played so well together, and they were able to slot me in a let me play my game.

After joining the league a little late, you ended up leading the league with a fantastic 29.4 ppg. What are your thoughts on that? Have you always been a scorer waiting to bust out? Have your teammates helped make scoring easier for you? Scoring title or grand final win. What is more important?

JG: I think the style of basketball we play allows a player like me to score, it's run and gun, and when you have guys like Wes Petit, Ken Taylor and Nick Anderson patrolling the paint you're going to get a lot of fast break opportunities. They have definately made my job easier. Plus when Harun is running the break with me it's going to scare anyone between us and the basket. His finishes are unbelievable . I remember the first alley I threw to him I thought,"Tthis is way too high", I knew he could get up, but I never thought he would dunk it as hard as he did. Just bananas. The Grand Final win is definately more important, after tasting success with Hawthorn (Big V Div 1) last season, you always want to relive that feeling and share it with your team mates.

What are your thoughts on Uni League itself? Where do you see it going?

JG: I think it's a fantastic league, very well run, well reffed, and all teams play in good spirit. I think it was a great idea running it as 4 x 10 minute quarters, and it was good to see all teams bring down quality players from their universities. I think if you could get this thing going nationally it would be nuts. Have the winners face off in a tournament at the end of their seasons, or possibly use it as a measuring tool for the qualification process for the national Uni Games. 

RMIT finished undefeated in 10 games and walloped Deakin. Talk about the season and your opponent in Fridays Grand Final, Monash Uni. What does your team need to do and what do you personally want to do? Is it important that you score big? Who will guard you? Who are the keys to Monash?

JG: Going undefeated was a great achievement for the team. These guys have been playing together at a domestic level for a while and you can tell on the court. Everyone knows what they have to do to get the job done and they go out and do it, and it's shown in the results. This week against Monash is going to be a great game. Monash like to run the court as well so I think we are well matched. I think for us, we just need to do what we have been doing all season, play our game, and the result should take care of itself. Personally I want to get the win, take out the first Uni League Championship. We have a lot of weapons on our team and everyone could put up big numbers, so me scoring big isn't that important. I'm pretty sure Tommy Forde wants the job on me, he's been talking smack all week and Tommy and myself are great mates so it will be a fun match-up. Pat Leneghan has been doing doing a bit of talking too so hopefully he guards me as well, because I might have something for him. Tommy is a guy we have to worry about, he gets it done from any position, also Karl Beston, if he plays, and Josh Kelly, he can stroke it from anywhere.

You have been talked up as an MVP favourite but with only 5 regular season games under your belt, it might be a bit difficult for you to get enough votes. Which players do you think are favourites?

I think from RMIT the entire team is a look in, it's biased I know but you don't go undefeated without quality players on the squad. Tommy Forde from Monash, he has too much energy, it makes me angry sometimes, but he is one of those players that can get it going playing centre, and he's a point guard. Nick Masunda (Melb) is a tough opponent and always put up good numbers. Also Rob Stone and David Peters from Swinburne, even though they didn't make the finals those guys are great players and you can't give them any room or they will nail a triple on your head.

Thanks Justin. Good luck in the Grand Final