\u201cAs soon as that shot went up, I just had my eyes on that ball and knew I had to chase it down if it wasn\u2019t going in,\u201d Horvat said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grabbed it, and Miela Sowah<\/a> never misses her second shot. She just has this look in her eye every time she misses one and takes the next one.<\/p>\n \u201cAs soon as I got that rebound, I knew I had to get it to her and thankfully, she was open and nailed that second shot.\u201d<\/p>\n Learning to play<\/p>\n The veteran forward revealed to basketball.com.au<\/a> in an exclusive interview that the joy for basketball started in under-10s in Geelong, Victoria, but with somewhat of a lack of focus.<\/p>\n \u201cI was very distracted as a young kid when I first started playing, and I really wasn\u2019t very good at all,\u201d Horvat said.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve been told, I have cartwheeled in the middle of a game on the court.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes I was also looking up at the sky, twirling my hair. <\/p>\n \u201cI might have to ask my mother to fact-check these things, but I have to tell that story. <\/p>\n \u201cI was a cartwheeler. I\u2019m still a bit of a cartwheeler. That\u2019s one of the things that I always preface before I sign up for any coaching when clubs that I\u2019m playing at ask me to coach.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t necessarily love the coaching side of things. <\/p>\n \u201cI love being a kid with the kids’ side of things. So you might catch me still cartwheeling with these little kids at the (Sydney) Comets camps.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I\u2019d say maybe that piece hasn\u2019t left my game yet. <\/p>\n \u201cI just know when to do it (now), and I\u2019m not gonna do it in the four quarters of basketball that I play.\u201d<\/p>\n Horvat\u2019s father, Steve, 55, provided the competitive spark, but it was mum Tina who was the inspiration.<\/p>\n Steve earned 32 caps for the Australian Socceroos between 1994 and 2002 before retiring in 2003.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody knows my dad was an athlete, but it was actually my mum who first introduced me to basketball,\u201d Horvat revealed. <\/p>\n \u201cShe played basketball when she was a young girl, but unfortunately, due to unfortunate family circumstances, there was no one who was able to take her to any training or games after her father passed away at a young age.<\/p>\n \u201cSo she always wanted to give her kids the opportunity to play because she wished that she had had that opportunity when she was young. <\/p>\n \u201cShe was incredibly instrumental in taking me to basketball when I was young and continued to encourage basketball, amongst many others, that I played when I was younger. <\/p>\n \u201cShe was the one who introduced me to the game, and some of my earliest childhood memories are of that old stadium with my junior club at the time, with coaches and mum helping me out.\u201d<\/p>\n Flash forward to today, and Horvat\u2019s basketball resume is elite.<\/p>\n WNBL26 Champion with the Townsville Fire2024 EuroLeague with Perfumerias Avenida2023 EuroCup with Enea Gorzow \u2013 alongside now Dallas Wings star Alanna SmithBronze Medallist with the Australian Opals at the 2023 FIBA Women\u2019s Asia CupLos Angeles Sparks WNBA training camp contract in 2022114-game NCAA Division 1 graduate with the UCLA Bruins (2017-22)Gold Medallist with the Australian Gems at the 2016 FIBA Under-18 Oceania ChampionshipsBronze Medallist with the Australian Gems at the 2015 FIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipsGold Medallist with the Australian Gems at the 2014 FIBA Under-18 Oceania Championships<\/p>\n That 2015 World Championship squad was stacked, too!<\/p>\n Alicia Froling<\/a> \u2013 January 31, 1996Lauren Scherf \u2013 March 7, 1996Alanna Smith<\/a> \u2013 September 10, 1996Kristy Wallace<\/a> \u2013 January 3, 1996Tahlia Tupaea \u2013 June 1, 1997Madeleine Dennis \u2013 January 14, 1997Anneli Maley<\/a> \u2013 September 1, 1998Alexandra Sharp \u2013 February 4, 1997Chantel Horvat \u2013 June 1, 1998Montana Farrah-Seaton \u2013 November 27, 1996Mikayla Pirini<\/a> \u2013 June 29, 1996Ezi Magbegor<\/a> \u2013 August 13, 1999<\/p>\n A decade later, Horvat has reunited with point guard Pirini at the Sydney Comets in NBL1 East this season. She\u2019s played just one game \u2013\u00a037 points and 13 rebounds \u2013 before injuring her finger at practice.<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, Horvat is a gifted athlete who chose between basketball, tennis and soccer as a junior.<\/p>\n \u201cI loved a lot of sports when I was young,\u201d Horvat added.<\/p>\n \u201cI was super active, so mum always knew she had to put me in sports because I was just running amok.<\/p>\n \u201cMy two favourites were tennis and basketball. Then, a little bit later, I picked soccer back up again and absolutely loved it, but by then it was a little bit too late pathway-wise.<\/p>\n \u201cI loved tennis as well; however, I struggled with it being an individual sport. I just really loved the teamwork, camaraderie and community of basketball.<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever I\u2019d go and play tennis comp, I\u2019d feel so alone, and I\u2019d get frustrated by my performance or in my own head. I think I really struggled without teammates to bounce ideas off.<\/p>\n \u201cI really love just being on a team and being surrounded by incredible people. That\u2019s one of the things I always say to people that I love so much about basketball \u2013 you get to go to work with some of your best friends every single day, and it just makes it the best job in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it can take you all around the world, introduce you to incredible people and places. It\u2019s just such a great vehicle for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Horvat revealed her competitive fire came from competing against her father \u2013 not on the basketball court but in matching his elite achievements.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I started really getting into sports and basketball in particular, I had this thing where I wanted to beat my dad,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s an incredible athlete, and obviously, his accolades are very difficult to compete with.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes I phrase it as wanting to beat him, but I actually think it was more about wanting to be like him or be as good as him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was instrumental in guiding me along the way with this journey and still is today. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019d always tell me how hard it was and point to old photos of his AIS cohort, and point to the few that actually ended up having professional careers.<\/p>\n \u201cHe always said the percentage is so small. It\u2019s not going to be given to you. You have to work for it every step of the way.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first big moment for me was when I didn\u2019t make the school state team in Grade 6. That was my first disappointment because prior to that, I\u2019d made all the first rep teams, and it had come easily.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember going to the tryouts, and everyone was so much bigger, quicker, and more skilful than I was.<\/p>\n \u201cAt that time, I wasn\u2019t ready to make that team. When I didn\u2019t make it, that disappointment really motivated me to try harder and work harder.<\/p>\n \u201cIn my first Vic Country state team, I was emergency as a bottom-ager for the under-16s, and I didn\u2019t even get the emergency spot initially. I think they called all the other emergencies, and they didn\u2019t want to do it.<\/p>\n \u201cBut when I got the call, I was so excited because it was my first opportunity to play for a state team, and I accepted it without hesitation.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t miss a single session. I worked really hard, and by the end, I was almost ready to make that team.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was so important because it cemented a work ethic in me. <\/p>\n \u201cWe learn from disappointment. Are you going to sulk that you didn\u2019t make the state team, or are you going to take the opportunity to train against these incredible athletes and get better?<\/p>\n \u201cFrom then on, I made Vic Country state teams as a top ager and bottom ager in the under-18s.<\/p>\n \u201cKids get so fixated on whether they make a team or not, but at the end of the day, it doesn\u2019t matter. <\/p>\n \u201cYour journey looks different to everyone else\u2019s journey.\u201d<\/p>\n Extraordinarily, she made the Geelong Supercats SEABL team as a 14-year-old.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pathway in Geelong was really good because we had a SEABL team, so that was really helpful for me because I started playing in that Supercats team when I was 14,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat gave me incredible exposure to women\u2019s basketball from a very young age, which was awesome for my development: just to train and play weekly with bigger bodies and experienced players, and learn from them.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was awesome for me because it was in the years leading up to going to the AIS as well. <\/p>\n \u201cI went to the AIS when I was 15, spent those years there, then went to college in America, and then obviously, after graduating from UCLA, started my pro career.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a really great junior pathway in Geelong, and obviously, it\u2019s gotten even better now with the WNBL team as well as an NBL1 team. Juniors at the club can really dream big and strive towards that future.\u201d<\/p>\n Horvat was still a teenager when US college recruiters started calling her in the mid-2010s. She admits the process was overwhelming, and sage advice helped her decide to play for Cori Close at the famed UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles, California.<\/p>\n Close has recruited another Australian, soon-to-be super sophomore Bonnie Deas, for the 2026-27 season.<\/p>\n \u201cUCLA is just an amazing institution,\u201d Horvat said.<\/p>\n \u201cI was very fortunate to be recruited by them.<\/p>\n For me, it was really difficult to manage the recruiting process. There are so many phone calls with schools and so many decisions to be made.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pretty terrible on my phone and was probably worse as a high school student, so I\u2019m really grateful my dad helped me a lot during that process.<\/p>\n \u201cA top priority for me was a school known around the world for its education, because I wasn\u2019t sure exactly what I wanted to study.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, when schools call you that are these massive basketball schools, it can cloud your judgment because they\u2019re very persuasive and you form bonds with coaches.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember getting overwhelmed trying to narrow down my visits, and my dad asked me, \u2018What school would you be the most disappointed in if they just lost interest in you?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThe answer was UCLA instantly. I didn\u2019t even have to think twice.<\/p>\n \u201cThat cleared everything for me, and I think that same day I called the coach and committed.<\/p>\n \u201cUCLA ticked the most boxes for me. I\u2019m not a one-box kind of person. <\/p>\n \u201cI have a broad range of interests, and UCLA was high-achieving on the court, high-achieving in the classroom and focused on your growth as a woman and a human being.\u201d<\/p>\n Horvat was a geography and environmental studies major and was named to the Pac-12 Winter Academic Honour Roll twice (2019-20 and 2020-21).<\/p>\n There will be almost 120 women\u2019s basketballers in NCAA Division 1 in the 2026-27 season.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like it\u2019s such an incredible opportunity, not only for basketball but for your development as a young woman,\u201d Horvat said of her college career.<\/p>\n \u201cYou learn and grow so much as an individual. <\/p>\n \u201cYou get a free education, no HECS when you come back to Australia.<\/p>\n \u201cI think going to college is a no-brainer. Getting an education was a massive part of it for me.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so important to have outlets outside basketball and to have that educational foundation, as well as a backup in case you ever get injured or the ball goes flat.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many junior basketball players ask for advice, and I always tell them I think it\u2019s a great pathway.<\/p>\n \u201cDoesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re going to a big school, a small school, a Division II school or junior college.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an incredible opportunity to get a free education and just try it out.\u201d<\/p>\n UCLA\u2019s home games were played at the famous Pauley Pavilion.<\/p>\n Opened in 1965 on the UCLA campus, the arena is synonymous with the dynasty built by legendary coach John Wooden. UCLA won 10 NCAA Men\u2019s Championships in 12 seasons under Wooden, including seven straight titles from 1967\u20131973.<\/p>\n It remains one of basketball\u2019s cathedral venues \u2013 similar to Madison Square Garden or Cameron Indoor Stadium in college basketball.<\/p>\n The 2026 NCAA women\u2019s champion Bruins celebrated there after winning their first title against South Carolina earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cPauley is still one of the most beautiful courts I\u2019ve ever played on,\u201d Horvat said.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore I got there, I watched a lot of UCLA games, and it just looked incredible, so to finally step on that court was so special.\u201d<\/p>\n UCLA is famous for its pick-up games featuring NBA stars from multiple eras. There are stories scattered through basketball folklore of legends playing legendary games away from the glare of fans.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it was my third week there,\u201d Horvat said. <\/p>\n \u201cWe walked into the gym, and LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were lifting weights in our weight room.<\/p>\n \u201cUs freshmen walked in and basically dropped to the floor and they were like, \u2018Oh my gosh, I\u2019m so sorry, we\u2019re in your weightlifting slot. Do you mind if we lift with you guys?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt was so cool.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were always NBA players around in the summer coming to play pickup on the John Wooden Court.<\/p>\n \u201cRussell Westbrook was always hanging around the practice facilities because he\u2019s a UCLA alumni. Kobe Bryant also came to one of our games, which was awesome.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t even feel real when you see Kobe sitting on the baseline as you warm up.\u201d<\/p>\n Horvat said winning the WNBL26 championship would be one of the biggest highlights of her career, shared with \u201camazing\u201d teammates. She refused to reveal the length of the 2-0 celebration or whether there was a cartwheel or two.<\/p>\n \u201cI will not disclose that information. That is confidential team information,\u201d she said with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was an incredible opportunity, and it was so special to win a championship with that team and that club.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had this incredible bond, and there was nothing sweeter than winning that championship with that group of girls, that coaching staff and that club.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be one of the highlights of my career.\u201d<\/p>\n Chantel Horvat\u2019s basketball journey is one of the more unique Australian pathways of the past decade \u2013 spanning the Australian Institute of Sport system, NCAA basketball at UCLA, Europe, the WNBL, and now the Sydney Comets.<\/p>\n Some key takeaways from her r\u00e9sum\u00e9:<\/p>\n Played five NCAA seasons at UCLA from 2017\u20132022Reached an NCAA Elite Eight and Sweet 16Represented Australia at U17, U18 and U19 levelWon SEABL championships with the Geelong SupercatsPlayed professionally in Poland, Turkey and SpainReturned to Australia for WNBL stints with the Canberra Capitals and Townsville Fire<\/p>\n Her best statistical season came in 2023 with Geelong in NBL1:<\/p>\n 20.2 points11.1 rebounds2.4 assists1.3 steals<\/p>\n That season highlighted the inside-out versatility that made her a valuable high-level player throughout her NCAA and professional career.<\/p>\n The UCLA years are especially significant because she arrived during a rebuilding period and helped the Bruins return to national relevance under coach Cori Close. She played alongside multiple future professionals and contributed to deep NCAA Tournament runs, including the 2018 Elite Eight team.<\/p>\n “`html<\/p>\n \n Chantel Horvat \u2013 International Career\n <\/p>\n \n Australian Opals and Australian Gems representation across senior and junior FIBA competition.\n <\/p>\n Year \u2195 2023 Senior National Team Average 2016 2015 2014 Junior National Team Average \n Chantel Horvat \u2013 UCLA Career Stats\n <\/p>\n \n Five NCAA Division I seasons with the UCLA Bruins between 2017\u20132022.\n <\/p>\n Season \u2195 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 Career<\/p>\n UCLA About the Author<\/p>\n Peter Brown is the head coach of the Sydney Comets Women\u2019s Youth League<\/a> team in the Waratah Basketball League <\/a>in NSW. He is also the assistant coach for the Comets NBL1 women\u2019s team in the NBL East Conference<\/a>. Peter is a 30-year journalist, starting as a sports reporter at the NT News<\/a> in the early 1990s. He played junior basketball for the Northern Territory at national championships from U16 to U20 and for the Territory\u2019s senior men\u2019s team at numerous international tournaments. Peter has been a basketball fan since the early 80s, especially the NBA<\/a>. Basketball is his passion \u2014 and his opinions his own. Email peter.brown@basketball.com.au<\/a> with feedback.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chantel Horvat opens up on UCLA, the Opals, WNBL title glory and cartwheels on court. Chantel Horvat:\u00a0Townsville Fire…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":664326,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-664325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/664325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=664325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/664325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/664326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=664325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=664325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=664325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01f80832b407da99ddde4d_ChantelHorvat_Juniors.jpg\")
Chantel Horvat played her junior basketball in Geelong, Victoria.From that old stadium to the global stage<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01f6bf853608d489fe353a_AustralianUnder19s.jpg\")
Chantel Horvat (third left) and Miki Pirini (third right) have reunited at the Sydney Comets for the 2026 NBL1 season after representing Australia together at the 2025 Under-19 World Cup.A choice between tennis and basketball<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01fdc51f5d3b114816a074_SteveHorvat.jpeg\")
Former Socceroos defender Steve Horvat represented Australia 32 times between 1994 and 2002. Photo: Matthew Ashton\/EMPICS via Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01f873cd3d676ddddde736_ChantelHorvat_StateReps.jpg\")
Chantel Horvat warms up for Victoria Country at the Australian Championships.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01f9a8f82dd6821cfc8800_GettyImages-1245439862.jpg\")
Enea Gorzow forward Chantel Horvat (right) and teammate Alanna Smith battle Galatasaray star Azura Stevens during EuroCup Women action in Istanbul in December 2022. Photo: Arif Hudaverdi Yaman\/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesNavigating college recruitment<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01fa20f709fe67affe78a4_GettyImages-1076019296.jpg\")
UCLA Bruins forward Chantel Horvat attacks off the dribble against USC Trojan Aliyah Mazyck during Pac-12 rivalry action at Galen Center in Los Angeles in 2018. Photo: Adam Davis\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01fa9fbaf38d24af9400ca_GettyImages-908132394.jpg\")
UCLA Bruins guard Chantel Horvat finishes at the rim against the California Golden Bears during Pac-12 action at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles in January 2018. Photo: David Dennis\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6a01f94432b407da99de2f00_GettyImages-1240305857.jpg\")
Los Angeles Sparks training camp invite Chantel Horvat alongside Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Kianna Smith, Amy Atwell, Lexi Gordon and Rae Burrell during Sparks Media Day ahead of the 2022 WNBA season in Torrance, California. Photo: Juan Ocampo\/NBAE via Getty ImagesChantel Horvat\u2019s Basketball Career<\/p>\n
\n Tournament \u2195
\n GP
\n PPG
\n RPG
\n APG
\n EFF<\/p>\n
\n FIBA Women\u2019s Asia Cup Division A
\n 6
\n 3.8
\n 0.8
\n 0.0
\n 3.7<\/p>\n
\n 6
\n 3.8
\n 0.8
\n 0.0
\n 3.7<\/p>\n
\n FIBA U18 Oceania Championship
\n 5
\n 18.6
\n 6.2
\n 3.4
\n 21.8<\/p>\n
\n FIBA U19 Women\u2019s World Championship
\n 7
\n 5.7
\n 2.1
\n 0.7
\n 5.7<\/p>\n
\n FIBA Oceania U18 Championship
\n 6
\n 12.0
\n 5.8
\n 2.8
\n 18.7<\/p>\n
\n 18
\n 11.4
\n 4.5
\n 2.1
\n 14.5<\/p>\n
\n Age
\n School
\n G
\n MP
\n PTS
\n TRB
\n AST
\n STL
\n BLK
\n FG%
\n 3PT%
\n FT%
\n PPG
\n RPG
\n APG<\/p>\n
\n 19
\n UCLA
\n 35
\n 505
\n 140
\n 83
\n 38
\n 15
\n 7
\n 37.3
\n 30.0
\n 54.2
\n 4.0
\n 2.4
\n 1.1<\/p>\n
\n 20
\n UCLA
\n 9
\n 137
\n 44
\n 26
\n 11
\n 6
\n 1
\n 43.9
\n 16.7
\n 66.7
\n 4.9
\n 2.9
\n 1.2<\/p>\n
\n 21
\n UCLA
\n 25
\n 482
\n 128
\n 124
\n 24
\n 17
\n 11
\n 41.1
\n 22.2
\n 64.7
\n 5.1
\n 5.0
\n 1.0<\/p>\n
\n 22
\n UCLA
\n 16
\n 274
\n 98
\n 66
\n 16
\n 5
\n 1
\n 55.4
\n 31.3
\n 81.6
\n 6.1
\n 4.1
\n 1.0<\/p>\n
\n 23
\n UCLA
\n 29
\n 571
\n 156
\n 132
\n 25
\n 16
\n 9
\n 38.1
\n 12.9
\n 80.7
\n 5.4
\n 4.6
\n 0.9<\/p>\n
\n 114
\n 1969
\n 566
\n 431
\n 114
\n 59
\n 29
\n 41.0
\n 24.5
\n 72.8
\n 5.0
\n 3.8
\n 1.0<\/p>\n