Mount Gambier’s Lauren Ross and Olivia Dukalskis were consistent contributors in the SA Country Under 15 Girls’ team which played in the Southern Cross Junior Basketball Challenge played at the State Basketball centre, Wantirna South, Victoria earlier this month.

SA Country won two games and lost two in its pool games, defeating SA Metro Blue 59-32 and WA Country 87-32 to finish third. SA Country then lost the Classification game to Victoria metro Blue 51-60 to finish sixth overall.

This Challenge is the first stepping stone in the state under 16 program culminating in the selection of the team to play in the 2014 national Under 16 championships in Geelong in July.

Close Represents SA Country in World’s Biggest Junior Basketball Tournament.

Mount Gambier talented junior basketballer, Emily Close, was a member of the SA Country Under 13 team which played in the 2014 Eltham/Dandenong Junior Basketball Tournament in metropolitan Melbourne last weekend.

The team had a disappointing start when Warragul did not turn up to play and were a little slow to adapt to the occasion and high standards in their second game against Wonthaggi. Final scores were 15-16.

SA Country then defeated Knox 36-23, Melbourne 40-12 and Dandenong 39-27.These results gave the team a place in the semi-final where they met Mornington Peninsula, a tall and physical side, undefeated to this stage. SA Country played well but went down 21-26. 

 Close loved every minute of the experience of playing against top class players of her age group.