JUNIOR BASKETBALLERS BRING HOME SILVER
Talented Under 16 basketballers Georgia Green and Brianna Walters were awarded silver medals as members of the Eastern Mavericks team which finished runner-up in the 2011 Victorian Junior Basketball League National Classic.
This three day invitational, in its 35th year, is regarded as the premier junior tournament in Australia, attracting teams from all over the country. Large crowds of spectators attend to see the best junior basketballers in Australia in action. One hundred and twenty eight teams, 16 in each age group, Under 12 boys and girls through to Under 18’s involving more than 1100 players, competed for respective titles and rankings one to sixteen.
The Eastern Mavericks Under 16 Girls’ team scored big wins in their pool games and then easily accounted for Ballarat in the quarter final, 88-57. They pulled off a fantastic 73-56 win over Melbourne Tigers in the semi-final after being down 2-17 early in the game. Dandenong however had too much depth for Mavericks in the title game and ran out winners 57-48. They managed to level the scores early in the last quarter but then could not go on against the intense pressure applied by Dandenong. Green and Walters both played dominant roles in the team’s performances over the weekend and showed that they are currently in the top group of players in this age group in Australia.
Three other Mount Gambier players competed in the Classic over the weekend.
Rachael Hines played for Eastern Mavericks which finished 7th. After two easy pool wins, they lost the quarter final to Sturt, 37-39 and a semi-final 31-41 to Forestville. They finished the weekend on a winning note by defeating Knox 65-47 and hence finishing 7th.
Brad Rathjen is a member of the Southern Tigers Under 14 Boys team, which participated in the Classic. They won two of their three pool games but lost the quarter final to Melbourne Tigers, 33-49. They then lost to Hills Hornets, 27-55 and Sturt 46-71 to finish in 8th place.
Kane deWit played for Forestville Under 16 Boys’ team which finished 13th by defeating Hills Hornets 69-59 and Broadmeadows 41-40 in the standings games.
The Classic weekend will serve as an important lead up to the Under 16 National Championships for deWit, Green and Walters to be played in Kilsyth, Victoria from July 9th to 16th.
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