JUNIOR LAKERS TO REPRESENT SA COUNTRY BASKETBALL
Nineteen Junior Lakers will represent the SA Country Basketball Council at two premier events later this month. Sixteen Under 14, 16 and 18 Lakers will travel to Albury NSW, to compete in the 2015 Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup, while three Under 15 players will compete in the Southern Cross Challenge at the Victorian Basketball Centre in Melbourne.
2015 marks the 29th anniversary of the Country Cup, running from Monday January 12th. to Saturday January 18th. The first Cup was held in 1985 comprising 28 teams from NSW, Victoria and SA Country Basketball Councils.
This year there will be at least 64 teams with 700 players, coaches and officials taking part.
Another 1500 people, including spectators and families, are expected to visit the Border region. NSW, Victoria and SA Country continue to support the Cup since its inception along with New Zealand, Tasmania and Western Australia.
More than 80 basketballers, who have participated in the Cup have built on their basketball careers to represent Australia or New Zealand at international events over the years.
The Southern Cross Challenge is an initiative of Basketball Victoria, which sees identified Under 14 and 15 junior basketballers compete in a round robin tournament. The inaugural Challenge was held in 2012 and as a result of the support of the event, ACT, WA Country and Metro, SA Country and Metro as well as newcomer, NSW Metro are participating this year. The Challenge will be played from January 16th to 19th at the State Basketball Centre.
The Junior Lakers players representing SA Country in Albury are:
Under 14 Boys: Joel Duncan and Duncan Reid.
Under 14 Girls: Ellen Brown, Emily Close, Nikeisha Facey and Manon Finch.
Under 16 Girls: Olivia Dukalskis, Bella Stratford and Lauren Ross.
Under 18 Women: Tenille Gray, Rachael Hines and Brenna McKay.
Under 18 Men: Brad Close, Lachlan Hunter, Brad Rathjen and Kurt Rodis.
Lakers players representing SA Country at the Challenge are:
Girls: Jordyn Adams and Madisyn Freeman.
Boy: Mitchell Hunter.
The Country Cup is a comprehensive event, which covers all aspects of basketball development. The key focus of the Cup is development and winning being a bonus.
Mount Gambier’s budding referee, Danika Jolley will join referees from all competing states at a two day Education Camp prior to the competitions.
Mount Gambier Coaches Trevor Semmens and Daniel Stratford are in charge of two of the three SAC Under 14 Girls’ teams and will be attending the Tasman Coaching Clinic on Sunday night, January 11th. Guest Coach is Brad Davidson, National Shooting Coach and Talent Identification Manager for Basketball Australia’s High Performance Program.
The Official Opening Ceremony will be held in Wodonga on Monday followed by one round of games in all age groups, Under 14, 16 and 18.
Competitions continue through to the finals and Closing Ceremony on Saturday.
Similar activities are in place at the Challenge.
Roger Hammond of Mount Gambier is State Manager of the SA Country contingent and Melissa Rathjen, one of Mount Gambier’s valued volunteers, is Group manager for the Under 16 Girls’ group.
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