The Telarah teenager has talent on her side as well and most recently this has been identified by state selectors.

Consistent performances from Unicomb in 2011 have seen her picked in the NSW Country under-16 team to contest the Australian Junior Championships for the same age group in Victoria next month.

She came agonisingly close to making the same squad a year younger in 2010, reaching the final 15 before being cut.

This time around she made it through the extensive trial process and, while both relieved and excited at the call up, Unicomb said she was determined to make the most of this opportunity.

“I was heaps happy to make it,” she said. “But I want to make sure I play well there.”

Unicomb’s cause will be helped by her involvement in Basketball Australia’s National Intensive Training Program.

The year 9 student at All Saints College, St Peter’s Campus, Maitland, has been part of the program for the past two years.

In NSW the program is run by Mark Watkins and it entails various training sessions, mainly in a one-on-one forum.

“It is good because it is individual training,” Unicomb said.

“I have worked on all aspects of my game and it helps absolutely everything.”

Unicomb’s coach at the Mustangs, Stu Hancock, said the program was designed to help players reach their full potential.

Hancock said it was no coincidence Unicomb’s game had improved significantly during the same period.

“She [Unicomb] has come a long way from when she first started, especially the last couple of years,” he said.

“She has got a lot of talent ... she is always a target for us in offence and she does a great job in defence.”

The power forward will contest the week-long national titles from July 9 in the Victorian town of Kilsyth.

She will take on the might of NSW and Victorian Metro teams as well as squads from Western Australia and New Zealand.

Unicomb will then rejoin her under-16 Mustangs team for the remainder of the NSW Central Junior League season.