A group of young Shepparton ballers will head to Bendigo this weekend with a chance to strut their stuff against the best junior players and coaches in the state at the 2024 Junior Country Championships.
Shepparton will have under-16 and under-18 boys competing, with the players selected last year.
Shepparton Gators senior coach and Greater Shepparton Basketball Association coaching director Josh Waight said it was a chance for the players and coaches to let hard work pay off on the court.
“They’ve been training as a group since July,” Waight said.
“It’s an opportunity to play about the best teams in the state, see where we’re at and what we need to continue to work on.
“The coaches have put in a lot of hard work, so it’s a chance for them as well.”
The games will be played at Bendigo’s Red Energy Arena, one of the best stadiums in the country.
The facility has 10 courts and regularly hosts professional basketball and netball games.
On Saturday, February 17, both teams will play three games and will then be ranked into either division one or two for the games the next day.
On Sunday, February 18, it’s win or go home in a knockout-finals format.
“We want to be successful and finish as high as possible,” Waight said.
“We want to get automatic qualification for next time.”
Shepparton can secure its spot in the next country championships if it does well enough, otherwise it will have to apply to return, so there is a lot on the line for the junior Gators.