Sapphire guard Ruby now a Gem for NBL1 Norths

• Ruby Perkins led NSW to the 2025 Under-20 National Championship
• She was named in the All-Tournament Team at the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, Arizona
• Ruby Perkins named in the Australian Gems squad for the Under-19 FIBA Women’s World Cup

There are certain players you watch and immediately get the feeling that they have it — 17-year-old New South Wales point guard Ruby Perkins is one of those players.

Having followed her journey for a couple of years now, Perkins announced herself to the world last year when she shone bright for the Australian Sapphires at the Under-17 FIBA Women’s World Cup.

Since then, she has gone from strength to strength and is one of Australia’s rising stars.

Last month, as a bottom-age player, Perkins dominated the Under-20 National Championships as she guided New South Wales to the gold medal while leading the tournament in scoring (21.3 points per game) and three-point makes on her way to being crowned tournament MVP.

It was a masterclass in motion and provided a glimpse into the future of the type of player Perkins could become. She’s drives relentlessly to the bucket, but her added three-point shooting makes her a nightmare to defend on the perimeter too.

National Championship

In the Grand Final against Queensland, Perkins delivered a game-winning performance when her State needed it most. Scoring a ridiculous 18 points in the third quarter, Perkins wouldn’t be denied, and she was adamant on going one better than she did at the Under-18 Nationals as a bottom-age player.

"It was just about keeping confidence in myself," Perkins told basketball.com.au.

"I shot some good shots in the first half, they just didn't want to fall, so I knew to go out there and just keep playing the same way that I was.

"I didn't want to go home like we did in the Under-18 Nationals with the silver, so I did all that I could."

She finished with 25 points, five rebounds and four assists as New South Wales claimed a memorable 69-64 win. 

"It was amazing [to win gold] with such a great group of girls," she said.

"Just our journey from the start, it paid off and it was such a great feeling.

"Tom [Garlepp] is amazing — one of the best coaches I've ever had. The way his basketball brain works; in the hot moments he knows what to do, he knows what works, and he lets you do it."

Perkins’ performance in the Grand Final was unbelievable, but her outing against the ACT days earlier was just as special. Delivering a triple-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists — which she believes was the first of her career — showcased just how skilled and versatile she is.

"Going into that game, one of my main focuses was definitely trying to get good looks for my teammates early,” she added.

"I didn't even realise I was close to a triple-double until the end!”

Under-17 Women's World Cup

As I mentioned earlier, Perkins really caught my eye at last year’s Under-17 FIBA Women’s World Cup. In a tournament where the Sapphires struggled at times for offensive consistency, Perkins was a shining light, leading the team in scoring (10.7 points per game) and assists (3.7 per game).

She has a knack for sensing moments and rising to the challenge. Much like she did against Queensland last month, she did the same against Croatia last year. Almost single-handedly, she dug Australia out of a second quarter 14-point deficit to claim a crucial 96-87 win. Her third quarter was immense, scoring 16 points and taking the game away from Croatia. She took plenty of lessons out of that tournament that have helped build her game.

"Just being on the World Cup stage was amazing and I learned so many valuable things that I was able to go home and reflect on," she said.

"I think that's allowed me to continue to grow since."

She now finds herself on the Australian Gems squad for the Under-19 FIBA Women’s World Cup later this year and she’s excited by the opportunity.

"It's amazing even just to be invited into that camp,” Perkins said.

"It's such a great competitive environment and it's such an honour."

Perkins’ journey to being one of the best point guards in the country began when she was six years old.

"I started playing when I was around six because my brother played," she said.

"I was about eight when I made my first rep team and I've been at Norths [Northern Suburbs Basketball Association] my whole life basically.

"They've been an amazing club. I've been lucky enough that in all my years at Norths I've had such amazing coaches and honestly, I wouldn't be the player I am today without them.”

2025 NBL1 East

Perkins has a lot on her plate, including playing NBL1 East for Norths this coming season and vying for a spot on the Gems squad, but she also has her sights set on college basketball.

A class of 2026 recruit, Perkins put on a show in Phoenix at the Nike Tournament of Champions in December, where she was named to the All-Tournament Team as a member of the ATC Academy Premier team. With college scouts from all over the USA there, Perkins averaged 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals per game against the best high school players in the States.

"That was such a fun experience, it was so good," she said.

"The competition was great and every game was so intense. Our group, we only met about a week before the tournament, but it was such a great group of girls.

"Heading into that tournament, I really wanted to prove to America what I could do.”

It’s safe to say she definitely proved herself!

"I've always wanted to go over [to college],” she said.

"Even just the facilities and the access that they get is so good. Watching it, where it's come over the past couple of years, it's an exciting time to be in this process.

"There’s a lot of unknowns, but I'm excited for what's to come."

NCAA Women's Basketball

With college on the horizon, Perkins credits Taylor Jones — founder of the ATC Academy and someone she has worked out with for a decade — as having had a huge influence on her development.

"I've trained with Taylor doing individual workouts since I was about seven, so she’s been a huge part of my development over the years," she said.

"She introduced me into a lot of stuff with a bunch of older girls when I was young, and I think that boosted me earlier. It allowed me to play against longer girls, play against stronger girls and I learnt a lot from that."

Equipped with a game that stacks up against the best guards in Australia, Perkins’ ceiling is incredibly high and basketball fans across the country should be excited to witness her trajectory going forward.

Norths Bears start their NBL1 2025 season against the Bankstown Bruins in Bankstown on March 29, 2025.

About the Author

Hayley Wildes is passionate about all things Australian women’s basketball and loves to highlight the stories of players from all levels and competitions across the globe. From our own backyard in the WNBL, to the WNBA and the Opals, and everything in between, Hayley has you covered.