Ballarat secures Victorian Country under-18 country basketball double

Ballarat has stamped itself as the dominant under-18 force in Victorian country basketball.

Basketball Ballarat completed the boys’ and girls’ under-18 double in the Vic Country state junior championships at Shepparton.

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Thrifty Ballarat Miners earned the first of the titles with a 52-45 victory over Corio Bay in the boys’ division one final.

Jerimiah McKenzie (15 points), Ethan Fiegert (14 points) and Jarrod Hunter (10 points) were prominent performers for the Miners.

Thrifty Ballarat Rush defeated Geelong Supercats 48-37 for the girls’ division one title.

Sophie Molan was on target with 13 points, while Charlotte Todd contributed 12 points and Sophie Grylewicz 10.

Basketball Ballarat athlete and coach development manager Nathan Cooper-Brown said everyone in the program could not be more proud of the players, coaches and families who represented Ballarat in the tournament.

“For two and a half years everyone involved in the program has been working tirelessly to build a culture that helps people become the best version of themselves.

“The by-product is on court success and that’s what we have been rewarded with here. It’s truly a team effort,” he said.

“We continue the push to be one of the leaders in the state at developing athletes and coaches, and these two championships go a long way in demonstrating that.”

Ballarat reached the boys’ under-16 division one semi-finals for third, and quarter finals in the girls’ under-16 division one for seventh.

The championships’ outcomes result in the qualification of the under-16 girls and boys, and under-18 girls for championship divisions in the Victorian Junior Basketball League. The under-18 boys play a crossover game to qualify on Friday.

UNDER-18 BOYS

POOL: Ballarat 46 d Mildura 26, Ballarat 42 d Sheparton 23

DIVISION 1: Ballarat 36 d Wodonga 32, Ballarat 53 d Bendigo 40, Ballarat 52 d Corio Bay 45

UNDER-18 GIRLS

POOL: Ballarat 41 d Echuca 22, Ballarat 43 lt Warrnambool 44, Ballarat 44 d Trarlgon 23

DIVISION 1: Ballarat 40 d Bendigo 37, Ballarat 53 d Wonthaggi 26, Shepparton 48 d Geelong 37

UNDER-16 BOYS

POOL: Ballarat 55 d Traralgon 30, Ballarat 51 d Wangaratta 42, Ballarat 47 d Southern 30

DIVISION 1: Ballarat 52 d Pakenham 44, Ballarat 40 lt Horsham 49

UNDER-16 GIRLS

POOL: Ballarat 32 d Wangaratta 24, Ballarat 37 lt Warragul 40, Ballarat 51 d Portland 27

DIVISION 1: Ballarat 22 lt Southern 36