Phillip Island basketballers, Keith Robinson and Patrick Ryan have been selected from the best and brightest players within Victoria and with their team will take on the rest of the nation in the first national competition of the new year.

Keith and Patrick started playing basketball locally in Under 10s and continue to play in the San Remo competition as well as play for the Phillip Island Rips representative team.

Selections for the Victoria Country Under 18 men's team took place as part of the 2019 Australian Junior Basketball Country Cup, which was held in Albury from 14-19 January 2019. Also, joining Keith and Patrick at the Cup, amongst the best and brightest, was Island player Leo Savona in the Under 14 boys age group, giving the Island a potential future selection in the Under 16s and then Under 18s Victoria Country team.

This is now the second year that Phillip Island player Keith has been selected in the Victoria Country Under 18 men's team and the first for Patrick and are joined by players from Ballarat, Shepparton, Bendigo, Traralgon, Geelong and Horsham.

Two Phillip Island players to be selected is a great achievement and represents the hard work, commitment and skills that the Island boys have put into their game to be at this high level.

Their head coach, Lucas Allen, has multifaceted a team this year with a great mix of top-age and bottom age experience of highly skilled, great athletes, who can play a fast paced game and are able to play in any position.

We wish Keith and Patrick and the Victoria Country Under 18 men's team the best of luck in Townsville in April in what will be an amazing experience.