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Basketballers set sights on nationals

Posted on November 4, 2011

STATE GLORY BECKONS: Sunraysia's latest crop of Country Victoria basketball representatives.

SUNRAYSIA’S latest crop of basketballers have mere months to prepare for the biggest tournament of their individual careers, with 11 locals earning a place in their respective Country Victoria basketball squads.

Selected in age groups ranging from Under 14’s through to Under 18’s, the group will compete across two tournaments next January, competing at the Australia Cup in Albury on January 15 to 22, and the Southern Cross Challenge in Ballarat from January 20 to 23.

Both tournaments will see locals compete against Australia and New Zealand’s best basketball talents, while also marking the first time several members of the group will represent their State.

Since making their respective squads the group has been participating in locally run training sessions with local coach Alan Morris.

Alan said the extra training was designed to help condition and prepare basketballers for a rigorous tournament.

“Both tournaments will run over seven days, so it’s going to be a huge ask for these youngsters – especially those who are playing in their first national competition – to get through,” he said.

“We’ve been running these sessions since selections were announced, and will continue to do so until both tournaments are played.”

Alan said the road to selection was several weeks in the making, with Sunraysia-based basketballers enduring three selection camps, including the annual two-day Gold Nugget training camp – where final selections were made.

Alan said locally-run training sessions had stepped up after that point, with emphasis placed on helping those selected achieve their best.

“A number of scouts and State selectors will be out in force during both tournaments, with spots in the ‘proper’ Victorian team to be up for grabs,” he said.

“The next two months will see all of these kids work extremely hard, and hopefully continually improve.”

Alan said while the large number of locals selected in this year’s Country Victoria squads was encouraging, it was the high number of boys selected that had proved the real highlight.

“In the past couple of years we’ve had more girls than guys selected, so it’s been great to see a couple of the boys make their respective sides this year,” he said.

“It’s also the highest number of participants we’ve had originating from Sunraysia for a number of years, which is also extremely encouraging.”

FOOTNOTE: Local selections include: Under 14’s: Courtney Sandiman, Danielle Markwell, William Wilson, Mitchel Branson and Jack Humphrey. Under 15’s: Cameron Kelly and Demi Wright. Under 16’s: Karla Allen, Denelle Fawcett, Mikayla Delcastegne and Caitlin McLachlan.

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