Ballarat boys to represent Victoria on national stage

Three Ballarat Under 16 Miners will represent Victoria at the Australian Junior Championships over the next week on the Sunshine Coast, proving Ballarat basketballers can compete with the country’s best.

The Australian Junior Championships span eight days, July 6 to 13, with Country Victoria last claiming the Under 16 Boys title in 2008.

Charlie Molan, Ben Hobbs, and Austin McKenzie all made the squad that will take on the best in the country, whilst Ballarat teammate Nathan Sutton earned an emergency spot.

McKenzie and Molan both follow in the footsteps of older siblings who have been selected for Victorian teams from Ballarat squads, highlighting the success of Basketball Ballarat’s Junior Elite Teams program.

Basketball Ballarat Manager of Athlete & Coach Development Nathan Cooper-Brown commented on the selections, “I’m incredibly excited to see what these four athletes are capable of as they further themselves in the State pathway. All four young men are of high character, and incredible athletic potential. This is the kind of opportunity they have been waiting for.”

Cooper-Brown added, “Developing athletes, and helping them pursue the State and National pathways is something we take great pride in. Nothing makes us happier than to see athletes achieve their dreams, that’s what it’s all about. We wish them and their teams nothing but the best in Queensland.”