LAST week, Basketball Victoria announced the squads for the Under-20 Australian Junior Championships (AJC) were announced, with some VJBL guns named in the squad.

The tournament will be held in Geelong on February 14-23, and will showcase some of the country’s best young talent. Three weeks of trials saw some of Australia’s elite basketballers compete for a spot in the national competition, and a strong crop has been named.

Some familiar names from the VJBL made an appearance, with the likes of Fraser Roxburgh (Knox) leading the way for the Boys and Dyani Ananiev (Seymour/Wyndham) leading the way after successful seasons.

There were also Navy teams announced, which focuses mainly on development, while emergencies for the Men’s and Women’s sides were also announced. Players such as Ananiev have enjoyed strong campaigns not only at VJBL level but also with Big V sides, so some of the best young talents in Victoria have been selected.

One side will be named national champions at the conclusion of the tournament, in one of the biggest and most vital showcases of young basketball talent.

General Manager of High Performance for Basketball Victoria Grant Wallace said the state is impressed by the quality of young players Victoria continues to deliver.

”We are excited by the depth of talent that Victoria keeps producing. There were some tough decisions to make, as all the athletes worked hard during the trials and left it all out on the court during this preparation” Wallace said. 

“We will play a competitive and exciting brand of basketball and look forward to continuing the successful traditions of Victorian State Teams” 

Check out the teams below:

Under-20 Men 

Victoria NAVY 

• Archer McMenamin – Casey  
• Corey Hastings – Southern Peninsula / Frankston 
• Ethan Bolton – Casey 
• Joel Foxwell – Sandringham 
• Josiah Pattinson – Bendigo 
• Kynan Philippe – Frankston 
• Lucas Impey – Ballarat 
• Riley Dunn – Ballarat 
• Tiernan Stynes – Nunawading 
• Zain Wilson – Melbourne  

Emergencies

• Blake Shankland – Casey 
• Kuich Gatwech – Collingwood 
• Martin Steen – Bendigo / Knox  
• Patrick Carr – Diamond Valley 
• Ryan Phillippe – Wallan 
• Wyatt Stewart – Kilsyth 

Victorian Men 

• AJ Magbegor – Diamond Valley
• Austin Rapp – Knox 
• Bailey Nunn – Knox 
• Carlin Briggs – Knox / CoE
• Daniel Poelsma – Diamond Valley 
• Fraser Roxburgh – Knox 
• Jensen Bradtke – Sandringham / CoE
• John Furphy – Melbourne University / CoE
• Tristan Devers – Nunawading 
• Zahn Agosta – Eltham 

Under 20 Women 

Victoria NAVY

• Aleisha Cadee – Bulleen
• Caitlin Van Es – Bulleen
• Danijela Kujovic – Bulleen 
• Georgia Koopmans – Warragul / Casey
• Georgia Taylor – Dandenong 
• Issy Whitelaw – Shepparton/ Bendigo
• Jamie Gallatly – Maffra / Gippsland United 
• Jemma Amoore – Ballarat
• Lilly Amor – Bulleen 
• Lucy Dexter – Casey

Victorian Women 

• Dakota Crichton – Casey
• Dyani Ananiev – Seymour/Wyndham
• Hannah Wickstrom – Sandringham
• Holly Griffiths – Bulleen
• Lily Carmody – Melbourne 
• Milly Sharp – Ballarat
• Nyadiew Pouch – Dandenong 
• Paige Burrows – Knox
• Sophie Burrows – Diamond Valley
• Tenielle Knight – Portland/Wyndham