THE Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have recorded its first win in the Under-18 Boys National Championships for 2023, defeating Northern Territory.

Both sides came into the match without a win next to their name, eager to get some runs on the board late in the fixture, with just four days remaining. One side would break their winless streak, so it was shaping to be a crucial matchup.

The two sides locked horns on Wednesday morning, both desperate to keep up with the teams above them and get off the bottom of the ladder. This was evident over the course of the match, with both teams showing plenty of grit and hustle.

In the end, the ACT was able to get on the board for the first time, claiming a 13-point triumph with its best performance of the tournament to date.

The winning side was led by a dynamic duo consisting of Alex Culver and Arjun Rao, with the pair controlling things on the offensive side. Each player delivered 13 points apiece, and made life extremely difficult for the opposition when guarding. Culver was also able to impact the game in a number of ways, pulling down six boards, dishing out two assists, and securing three steals in an excellent all-around performance.

Although these players were the strongest performers on the stat sheet, ACT was sparked by a magnificent team showing, with every player impacting the contest in one way or another.

For the Northern Territory, Ricky Mentha was the standout of the match. Despite suffering a tough loss, he produced a game-high 21 points on 10/18 shooting from the field. He tried extremely hard to get his team’s offence going, and performed extremely valiantly in defeat.

In the day’s other results, Victoria Country proved 23 points too good for South Australia Country, looking in complete control for the majority of the contest. Vic Country had nine players chip in for seven points or more, sharing the offensive load and producing countless routes to the basket with some selfless passing and extreme depth.

The other match for the day saw New South Wales Metro deliver a commanding victory over Western Australia Metro, emerging 91-57 winners. NSW Metro currently sit in second spot on the ladder with a record of four wins and one loss, and are still stalking top spot, which is currently occupied by Queensland South.