The Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup is a familiar place for Breanna Green, not least because it’s hosted in her hometown.
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She’s participated in it first as a player, then an assistant coach, before this year featuring as the youngest head coach at the tournament, taking the reigns of the Victorian Goldminers in the under-14 girls competition.
At just 16, Green has quite the resume – she’s played rep basketball as a junior, as well as getting major minutes for the Wodonga Wolves in the CBL and the Albury-Wodonga Lady Bandits in the SEABL.
She’s had her fair share of mentorship – her father Paul has coached the Wolves for several years, while she cites Lady Bandits coach Jim Wilson as another key influence.
But stepping out on her own has been no fluke, until Friday her Goldminers were undefeated, only falling to the SA Sharks by two points in a back and forth thriller.
I was an assistant last year so I had an idea of what it would be like...but I really didn’t know how I’d go as a head coach.
- Breanna Green
Her side couldn’t get the bucket to tie scores on the final play of the game, but Green said the tournament had been a great experience for her and her players.
“I’m learning so much – there’s so many coaches you can learn from here, I’ve really enjoyed it,” she said.
“It’s completely different to rep, it’s long, it’s tiring, mentally and physically exhausting, but it gets you prepared for what comes after.
“The assistant coaches have taught me a lot, especially to keep my cool.
“I was an assistant last year so I had an idea of what it would be like to coach in the under-14s, but I really didn’t know how I’d go as a head coach.”
The advice of the elder Green and Wilson, as well as her own playing experience, has helped the rookie coach through the Cup thus far.
“I learned a whole lot from dad, he’s been really good to talk to before and after all of our games this week,” she said.
“Jim has been really good because he’s coached for a long time and just knows so much.
“He challenges me as a coach and a player, at training he’ll ask me what I would have done as a coach in certain situations, what I’d do as a player in others.
“I’m learning all the time.”
The final day of competition in the ACJBC gets under way on Saturday, with grand finalists to be decided in the under-18s in the playoffs at 11am, before the gold medal games at 12.45pm.
In other gold medal games, the SA Sharks take on the Tas Kangaroos in the under 14 boys, while it's an SA showdown in the U14 girls.
The Vic Goldminers face the NSW Waratahs in the U16 boys, while the Waratahs take on the Vic Bushrangers in the U16 girls.
