Rupert Morley, Harry McGorm lead Comets to semi final berth in Warrnambool under 23 Championships League

The competition will come to a close on Friday when two teams meet in the grand final, with the winning line-up earning uniquely-designed championships rings.

Morley and McGorm's Comets are among the favourites ahead of Thursday's semi-finals after going undefeated through a seven-week regular season with an 14.3-point average winning margin. The teenagers credited their winning form to a team chemistry built under coach Mike McGorm.

"You're playing older players which sets the standard pretty high," Morley, 17, said of the competition. "We've all gotten along well."

The Comets, who lost Jalen Griffen to injury after round one, will face playing coach Bayley McGowan's Blues in the first semi-final. Meanwhile the George Stevens-led Celtics and Alex Gynes-mentored Warriors face off in a second semi-final.

A highly effective offensive pairing, McGorm, also 17, leads the competition with 116 points ahead of Morley (102) as the only two players to score above 100 this season. McGorm, a prolific three-point shooter, made 19 shots from behind the arc, while Morley is the league's most successful player at the free-throw line (14).

Coupled with his success from long range, McGorm said he had tried to drive and get into the paint more often this season.

"I've felt I've done that a bit better," McGorm said. "And I've been hitting Rupert for a few more threes as well."

It's a shooting partnership which has worked well if one of them is having an off-night. Morley, who will start as an apprentice chef at Bank Street next year, said he had also put time into his defensive efforts.

"I've been trying to get a few more rebounds and do more on the defensive side of things," he said.

Defensive pressure will be key for the Comets if they are to defeat a big Blues' line-up to advance to the decider.

"Really look on that defensive side of things, rebounds, stopping them from getting inside the key," Morley said of the match-up. "We've got plenty of big blokes that help us do that."

Alongside their under 23 commitments, both Morley and McGorm are taking their games to the next level with the Warrnambool Seahawks' CBL team this summer. Morley, in just his second appearance, enjoyed a 15-point performance against Portland on Saturday after coming into the side a week earlier.

"It was probably one of the best games I've ever had," he said.

McGorm, who has played 10 of a possible 11 games for the Seahawks, is also making strides to sit second overall for team points.

"I'm feeling more comfortable and getting used to it which is good," he said.

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