ONE OF the most successful basketball programs in Australian history, the Melbourne Tigers are still reaping the rewards of developing players from a young age.

With teams in the VJBL, Big V and NBL1, the Tigers are one of the most prevalent clubs in basketball, and have achieved a level of sustained success due to player retention from a young age. With most of the current senior list starting from the club’s junior program, it is a proven method of ensuring the Tigers continue to generate high quality talent within their own four walls.

Speaking to Rookie Me Central, Men’s NBL1 coach and two-time NBL champion with the Tigers Andrew Gaze said the club is unique but successful in this method.

“We like to use our program, not only to compete and win a championship, but also as a developmental program,” he said. “Its a little unique when you look at some of the other programs, who do still have a good percentage of players through this route, but the number of players that have come through our junior program is something that we are very proud of.

“We’re not opposed to other players joining our program, but its certainly rewarding this way.”

Starting in the VJBL at Under 12s level, the Tigers like to keep players within their program as the team moves up the age group together, creating chemistry that will give Melbourne an advantage throughout the course of the season.

Now with the Tigers in the Big V Youth League and NBL1 South, there is a genuine pathway to competing at a professional level for young players coming through the program, with the current senior list mostly comprised of junior graduates.

“Its rewarding to see from the junior levels with what Nick Abdicevic (junior boys director of coaching) has been able to do,” Gaze said. “To see those guys being developed at a young age and can legitimately come through the program at the highest level is very rewarding.”

At junior and Big V Youth League level, the Tigers are always one of the most dangerous sides on a yearly basis, with much of this due to the quality of program they have built over the past decade, and it is being reflected on the court with how much the kids buy into their time with Melbourne.

The men’s NBL1 side has been hit with an injury crisis, which Gaze said means that some of the players in the Big V side will be asked to step up, which is again a result of keeping the same players around in the boys and girls programs, adding availability and opportunity to the Tigers at the highest level.