Basketball Mount Gambier has strong representation in the 2017 Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup and Southern Cross Challenge teams. These premier junior basketball events are just rewards for the dedicated and talented players and aspiring coaches from the Country areas of mainland Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. This is the 31^st year of the Country Cup. In 1085 in its first year, 28 teams competed from host Association, Albury/Wodonga and state Country Victoria, NSW and South Australia.

 Twenty seven junior Lakers have been selected in SA Country Under 14, 15, 16 and 18 teams. This reflects the high standard of the education programs being conducted by the Development Officer and more recently well qualified volunteer coaches of the Association, especially Bryan Green and Dan Stratford. Two coaches, Bryan Green and Dan Stratford join the Country Cup contingent along with State Manager Roger Hammond, Head Manager Under 16 Girls, Melissa Rathjen, and Team Managers Brenna McKay and Lachlan Hunter. The 2017 Country Cup runs from January 14^th to January 21^st.

The total of around forty Limestone Coast junior basketballers will be travelling to Albury in January for the Country Cup further highlights the calibre of the basketball coaching being done in this region  

Six Junior Lakers Under 18 players have been selected in Country Cup teams. They are Mitchell Hunter, Josh Levison, new-comer Mason Hein, Jordyn Adams, Lauren Ross and Bella Stratford. Madisyn Freeman is a reserve.

Four Lakers Under 16 players will suit up in SA Country colours for the 2017 Country Cup They are William Wright, Duncan Reid, Keryl Ousey for the first time, and Emily Close.

Seven Under 14 Junior Lakers will have their first taste of the “Country Cup experience”. They are Ella Coleman, Megan Reid, Shelby Ryan, Tara Bryant, Sam Lock, Jake Walker and Josh Holmes. Jack Domaschenz and Noah Sims are reserves for this age group.

SA Country Basketball will field two Under 15 Boys teams and two Under 15 Girls teams in the 2017 Southern Cross Challenge being conducted by Basketball Victoria in Melbourne from January 12^th to 16^th. Ten Under 15 Junior Lakers have been selected for the Challenge. They are Oscar Adams, Jaidyn Lawrence, Darcy Lillecrapp, Craig Nathan, Ollie Thomson, Michaela Horrigan, Claire Hunter, Emily Dawe, Jordan Freeman and Sarah Nulty. Josh McGregor has been named reserve for the Boys’ Challenge Under 15 teams. 

This group of players will be involved in a Training program to be run by Bryan Green and Dan Stratford over the three weeks prior to the events. They will also be part of a demanding two day Training Camp under the expert eye of one of Australia’s leading coaches of junior basketballers, Dean Kinsman on December 20^th and 21^st.