This past week has seen a group of Harbour Representatives travel across the ditch for the annual Albury Country Junior Basketball Cup with the New Zealand Koru Development Tour. Miggy Falqueza and Logan McIntosh, both U15A Rep team members,are in Koru and Kea U16 New Zealand teams respectively. Both teams have been facing stiff competition and remain without a win at the end of pool play. 

In the Under 14 age group we have seven players across the girls and boys teams. Cian Emery(U13A 2014) and Sebastian Vivian (U13C 2014) are in the NZ Kea team coached by 2013 Harbour Clubman of the Year and 2014 U13A Coach Zac Fitzgerald. The Kea team is also managed by the lovely Kim McIntosh another Harbour member.

In the NZ Koru Team Terence Abdon (U13A 2014), Dominic Chen (U13A 2014), and Sean Murphy (U13A 2014) are coached by the 2014 U15A Coach and Harbour Clubman of the Year Morgan Maskell. 

These two boys teams have been playing very well in the pool play with only one loss between them with the NZ Kea's team losing to a strong NSW Ospreys team. Friday morning saw both teams win their quarter finals which will pit the two teams off against each other in the semi-final. 

On the girls side we have Jessica Moors and Emilia Shearer, both of whom were in the U13A Girls team last year, in the NZ Koru U14 team and have finished off pool games with a strong 4-1 record.

We spoke with U14 Koru Coach Morgan Maskell about the experience. The difference in the style of play exhibited by the Australian teams is a prominant feature of the tournament so far, he said, with the Kiwi's atheticism and skills all being better than their Australian counterparts. However, Maskell noted that the Australian teams are very development focussed and run strong offensive sets that the kids play well under control in. Another difference seen in the tournament has been with the referees who are quick to blow the whistle on foul calls, especially with regards to hand checking. Maskell said that it really forces the kids to learn to move their feet on defense otherwise your sitting down with foul trouble. So far Maskell has been pleased with the performance of the three young Harbour Reps in his team. Sean has been a terrific efficient scorer when he takes the good shots available to him, whilst Dom is his usual physically imposing self. Terence Abdon has been injured throughout the tournament but has provided strong leadership and plays both offensively and defensively very well. 

Thanks to Morgan Maskell for providing us with feedback so far in the tournament and we wish all our Harbour members luck for the remainder of the games and a safe trip back home!