No less than 100 junior basketballers have made the trip across the Tasman for the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup on the Border this week.
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New Zealand has 10 teams competing at the event with four under 14s teams, four under 16 outfits and a further two in the under 18s tournament.
Team leader Sue Pene said the New Zealanders always enjoy their time on the Border and are grateful to have been involved for with the Australian Junior Country Cup for more than 20 years.
“The experience of being able to play top level basketball against the same age groups gives them an idea of what they’re up against in Australia,” Pene said.
“We are very fortunate they have allowed us to come along to help us with our development.”
The touring squad is made up of players from 12 associations on New Zealand’s North Island who were selected at trials last August.
“They haven’t had a lot of time together, but the coaches have been keeping in touch with the athletes with programs in their own areas,” Pene said.
“From here they can go to national age group teams and senior teams.
“We’ve had quite a few kids who have come through the program and are on scholarships playing in the US.”
The success of homegrown hero Steven Adams with Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA has done wonders for the game in New Zealand.
Adams was taken at pick 12 in the 2013 NBA Draft after playing college basketball for Pittsburgh.
“The kids have someone from New Zealand they can relate to,” Pene said.
However, the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup wouldn’t be what it is without the many referees required to oversee the matches.
A training camp was held at Scots School in Albury on Sunday with 62 referees and 20 instructors from Australia and New Zealand to ensure matches are officiated at the highest standard.
Referee instructors manager Alan Garraway said the camp is mostly made up of officials under 18 years of age who are on the pathway to be involved with the sport at the highest level.
“They come here for the three years and if they’re good enough they’ll do an under 14s Australian Championships and then go through to under 16s under 18s and under 20s,” he said.
“Hopefully they then make it for their own state leagues and then onto WNBL and NBL.”
The FIBA Referees Commissioner of Oceania was in attendance at the camp, as well as NBL and Rio 2016 Olympic referee Scott Becker.
Becker officiated at the Cup in 1996 and is now regarded as one of Australia’s best referees.
