Short to Represent Australia

Sam Short to Represent Australia at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament, Mannheim – Germany

March 18 – April 4 2016

Basketball Ballarat junior Sam Short heads to Germany this month for one of the most significant International basketball tournaments for junior male athletes.

The renowned international U18 Albert Schweitzer Tournament (AST) is the only world junior championship for this age group and is played every 2 years between 12 nations. The tournament has a great history, starting with its inception in 1958, and has since grown into the strongest junior competition for this age group.

International competition forms an integral part of Basketball Australia’s High Performance plan. This international tour provides a quality learning experience which assists in the development of an elite international basketball player. Past Australian players such as Andrew Bogut, David Andersen, Patrick Mills and Matthew Dellavedova have greatly benefitted from this tournament.

Australia is in Group A with Serbia, Argentina, Germany, Japan, and Turkey.

Group B includes Greece, USA, China, France, Italy and Egypt.

Prior to heading to Germany for the Tournament the Australian team will assemble at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in Canberra for a five day training camp.

Short a member of local Club Exies Acmy and a junior Ballarat player for many years has also been selected in the Miners senior SEABL squad for 2016.

It’s been a hectic year for Short who attended the Basketball Australia Australian Development Camp for potential national players in January and then won a Gold Medal representing Victoria at the National U/20 Championships in Queensland in February.

Basketball Ballarat CEO Peter Eddy said that “Short was a great role model for all of the Associations junior players. He is a respectful, talented athlete who works hard to continue to improve his game” “The opportunities Sam has had this year are truly a fitting reward for effort”, Eddy said.