VICTORIA will will play host to the nation’s elite junior invitational tournament, with the best teams from around the country set to play off in the National Junior Classic across the Queen’s Birthday long weekend. Victorian teams make up a large number of the 128 overall sides to have qualified for the invitation-only event, with a cap of 16 teams competing in age groups ranging from Under 12 to Under 18 in girls and boys divisions.
Dandenong and Nunawading will each have seven teams competing in the Classic, with Bulleen the next most represented with six, while Kilsyth and Melbourne have five, and Hawthorn and Keilor will send four each on the back of impressive qualifying campaigns. Three sides from Bendigo and Geelong, as well as one each from Ballarat, Pakenham, Sale, and Southern Peninsula also earned their place through Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) qualification, with three sides from the Basketball Victoria Country (BVC) Junior Championships – from Ballarat, Warrnambool, and Maffra – also making the cut.
VJBL General Manager John Hilton said it is “a great thrill” to have the best teams from around the state ready to compete in the Classic, noting the interstate sides would be just as keen.
“For the MUVJBL and Country teams across Victoria, the Classic is the perfect opportunity to highlight their abilities in one of Australia’s most elite junior tournaments,” he said.
“The interstate sides are just as keen to attend the Classic – as they are set to take on Australia’s best in their age group.
“The MUVJBL would like to wish all 128 competing teams the best of luck heading to the Classic.”
Teams from South Australia (29) New South Wales (17), the ACT (seven), and New Zealand (two) will also compete, with the journey to crown Australia’s best junior teams set to commence on Saturday, June 8.
Full fixtures can be found here, and entry is free for all spectators.
A full list of teams can be found below:
UNDER 12 BOYS
Ballarat
Bulleen
Canberra
Casey
Dandenong
Eltham
Kilsyth
McKinnon
Norths Bears
Norwood
Nunawading
Sandringham
South Adelaide
Southern Tigers
Sturt Sabres
Sydney Comets
UNDER 12 GIRLS
Bulleen
Canberra
Casey
Forestville
Frankston
Hawthorn
Kilsyth
Manly
Melbourne
North Adelaide
Norths Bears
Norwood
Nunawading
Sandringham
Sydney Comets
Warrnambool
UNDER 14 BOYS
Canberra
Casey
Central Districts
Dandenong
Geelong
Hawthorn
Hills Hornets
Kilsyth
McKinnon
Melbourne
New Zealand
North Adelaide
Norths Bears
Norwood
Nunawading
Penrith
UNDER 14 GIRLS
Canberra
Dandenong
Eltham
Forestville
Frankston
Hawthorn
Keilor
Kilsyth
Melbourne
New Zealand
North Adelaide
Norths Bears
Nunawading
Sale
Sturt Sabres
West Adelaide
UNDER 16 BOYS
Bendigo
Bulleen
Canberra
Central Districts
Dandenong
Eltham
Geelong
Hills Hornets
Keilor
Knox
Maffra
North Adelaide
Norwood
Pakenham
Sturt Sabres
Sydney Comets
UNDER 16 GIRLS
Ballarat
Bulleen
Canberra
Dandenong
Diamond Valley
Eastern Mavericks
Forestville
Keilor
Manly
Melbourne
Norths Bears
Nunawading
Sandringham
Southern Tigers
Sturt Sabres
Sydney Comets
UNDER 18 BOYS
Bendigo
Bulleen
Canberra
Dandenong
Diamond Valley
Forestville
Hills Hornets
Keilor
Kilsyth
Melbourne
North Adelaide
Norths Bears
Nunawading
Sturt Sabres
Sydney Comets
Werribee
UNDER 18 GIRLS
Altona
Bendigo
Bulleen
Dandenong
Diamond Valley
Forestville
Geelong
Hawthorn
Knox
Manly
Norths Bears
Nunawading
South Adelaide
Southern Peninsula
Sturt Sabres
West Adelaide
New South Wales brings home gold in Under 18 final
AFTER delivering a strong performance in the final of the 2024 Under-18 Girls National Championship, New South Wales Metro claimed the gold medal by defeating Queensland South by 11 points in Ballarat on Sunday. The girls tournament had seen several contenders stand up over the course of the week, but that list was trimmed down […]
Vics get it done in nail-biting Under 18 final
VICTORIA Metro has claimed the 2024 Under 18 Boys National Championship, after defeating South Australia Metro by five points in the gold medal game in Ballarat on Sunday afternoon. The boys competition has delivered some excellent games throughout the tournament, and it ended in a fitting fashion, with Sunday’s game going right down to the […]
Tassie trumps Vic Metro despite spirited comeback
ALTHOUGH the opposition made it work for the result, Tasmania secured a spot in the 2024 National Basketball Championship Women’s Quarter Finals after defeating Victoria Metro on Day Five of the tournament. The stakes were extremely high coming into the match, with a top three spot on the line for the two teams after solid […]
West is best in Metro battle on day four
WESTERN Australia Metro claimed a tense nine-point over New South Wales Metro in the Men’s competition of the 2024 National Basketball Championship on Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday marked day four of the tournament, with seedings becoming much more in the balance as the fixture rolls on. With just a few days left until the finals begin, […]
Metro makes it look easy with big win on day three
THE 2024 Under-18 National Championships rolled on for a third day on Tuesday, with some emphatic team performances taking place. The contenders have already announced themselves in the early stages of the tournament, and the discrepancy between the championship hopefuls and struggling sides was evident, where there were some hefty margins recorded. That trend started […]
Contenders rise on day two of National Champs
THE SECOND day of the 2024 Foot Locker Under 18 National Basketball Championships took place on Monday, with some big team performances coming across the Men’s and Women’s competitions. The National Championships are currently taking place in Ballarat, with the best young male and female basketball players coming to represent their respective states for a […]
List looking to continue basketball journey
BASKETBALL has been a central figure in Amy List‘s life, and she is eager to ensure that continues, looking to build an illustrious career. The 19-year-old enjoyed the early stages of her basketball journey, crediting her father for furthering her interest in the sport. “Basketball has been a part of my life from a very […]
Foster feeling determined to overcome injuries
DESPITE some tough injury setbacks, Grace Foster is showing her resilience and looks determined to showcase her talent on the court. Taking up the game of basketball for her school team in year three before starting domestic basketball in year four, Foster’s love of the game grew from there. Foster says while there have been […]
Foxwell ferociously attacking development
HAVING produced impactful performances at state level for Victoria and competing in the Big V competition, Joel Foxwell is grateful for the people who have helped take his game to another level. Starting out in basketball at the age of four, Foxwell says growing up around the sport first sparked his passion. “I first started […]
