Warrnambool Mermaids' Louise Brown stars in 2023 Big V championship

Louise Brown, who turns 39 next week, played an integral role in the Mermaids' come-from-behind victory against Bellarine Storm at the Arc.

The former WNBL guard, who collected her fifth Big V title with her home club, played 23 minutes and sank 13 points in the hard-fought 64-58 triumph.

Her deft touch, direction and basketball IQ came to the fore as the Mermaids overcame a 12-point second-term deficit to secure back-to-back titles in front of a jam-packed stadium.

"I won't say I am retiring just yet, you never know," the mother-of-three told The Standard post game.

"We'll just wait and see, have a few months off and see how the body feels and see what happens next year.

"I didn't play for the first half of the year really and came back in the second-half of the year and qualified (for playoffs).

"My body doesn't love me for it but it's just too hard to give it away at the minute. I just love being a part of the group."

Brown was the steadying influence for a young team in 2023.

She was the only player apart from Amy Wormald - a workhorse who played the full 40 minutes against the Storm - aged over 30.

A number of players who hit the court - Mia Mills, Cigi Lual, Paiyton Noonan, Molly McLaren, Matilda Sewell and most-valuable-player Dakota Crichton - are all teenagers.

"I love these young kids, there's so much talent amongst them and they make me feel young," Brown said.

"I love playing with them, love helping them develop. They're just a great bunch of girls.

"They're so fun to be with and so enjoyable to be around. It's a bit hard to walk away."

The grand final triumph was a fitting way to farewell retiring coach Lee Primmer.

Primmer has been a mainstay across Brown's career, particularly early before she spent time in the American college system and returned to Australia and featured in the WNBL, and in the latter stages when she resettled in her home town.

"He's been my coach for as long as I can remember, probably since I was eight or nine years old and he's had a massive impact on my basketball career," Brown said.

"He's like another dad to me. I absolutely love him. It will be sad to see him go. I'd love him to hang around a bit longer.

"The effort he puts in and the guidance he gives all the girls, he loves them all like they're his kids.

"You saw (captain) Molly (McKinnon's) speech - they have a lot of respect for him."

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