BWC boys shine at Koru's by helping the under 14 team take the title
NZ Keas in full flight as they take the title
The Keas scored only a last-gasp 85-82 win over the Victorian Goldminers in their pool match, but on Saturday the Kiwi visitors clicked into top gear and blew the natives away.
The Keas won every quarter on their way to a commanding 78-48 victory and New Zealand’s fourth title at the championships.
“I think that’s probably the best story out of all the finals because it’s no easy task to come over here and win like they did,” Victoria Country manager Ashley Donaldson said.
“It’s an added highlight because they’ve only won a couple of titles — and they did it very well.
“I was surprised how easily they won considering they only narrowly beat us earlier in the week.”
Sheaziah Compain was the star for the Keas with 29 points, catapulting the Kiwi youngster to the top of the under-14 boys point-scoring ladder.
He was well supported in Saturday’s grand final by Delaney Puata-Chaney, Geronimo Doyle and Jayden Bennett, while Tommy Cole was the only Goldminer to break double figures (10).
New Zealand continued its fine tradition in the younger grades at the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup in Albury, NSW.
The U14 Boys Kea maintained the fine form they had shown throughout the week to run away with the final, defeating Victoria Goldminers 78-48.
They were the only Kiwi team in finals action on the tournament’s final day, but four others ended their campaigns with wins. Perhaps the most significant victory was U14 Girls Koru’s 44-42 success against NSW Kookaburras.
Saturday, January 23
U14 Boys
Pool Play
NZ Kea 85 Vic Goldminers 82
Playoff
NZ Koru 66 Albury Wodonga 37
Final
NZ Kea 78 Vic Goldminers 48
U14 Girls
Playoffs
Vic Bushrangers 58 NZ Kea 42
NZ Koru 44 NSW Kookaburras 42
U16 Boys
Playoffs
NSW Kookaburras 59 NZ Kea 41
Vic Goldminers 59 NZ Koru 39
U16 Girls
Playoffs
Vic Goldminers 55 NZ Koru 42
NZ Kea 50 Tasmania 24
U18 Boys
Playoffs
Vic Bushrangers 81 NZ Kea 34
NSW Waratahs 61 NZ Koru 46
U18 Girls
Playoffs
Tasmania 55 NZ Koru 44
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