Six of Mount Gambier’s very talented junior basketballers have been selected in the SA Country Basketball 2014 Under 18 Teams to compete in the Australian Junior Basketball championships in Belconnen, Canberra ACT in April.

They are Sam Stafford, Stephen Sochacki, Braiden Ousey, Brad Rathjen and Josh Jenner in the Men’s team along with Rachael Hines in the Women’s team.

Two players, Josh Jenner and Braiden Ousey, will be experiencing junior national competition for the first time as members of the SA Country contingent. Mount Gambier is also represented on the coaching panel with Bryan Green being appointed as Assistant Coach of the Men’s team.

The Australian junior Championships provide young basketballers with the opportunity to play in an elite tournament, representing their state on the national stage.

The Under 18 Women’s Trophy is named after Maree Jackson, who was the first female athlete to attend a US College on a scholarship when she played at Louisiana State. Maree is the mother of the world’s best woman basketballer, Lauren Jackson.    

The Men’s trophy is named after Merv Emms, a pioneer of Australian basketball in the fields of officiating and administration.

There will be fourteen teams participating in each division; Metropolitan and Country teams from NSW, Victoria, SA and WA, North and South Queensland, Tasmania, Northern Territory, New Zealand and host state ACT over the week of competitions.