Vic girls hard to beat, most of the time.

Did VIC girls won both age groups last year?

In U/16s Boys and Girls NSW will be very strong. Essentially both teams are a mix of best of Metro and Country. In the other States, the best players are not participating. Not sure why. For example VIC doesn't have any big names in Boys U16s.

Vic boys 16 are strong, such is the depth. As to how selections are made - unclear. Interesting to note the concentration of players from certain schools (eg, 3 from Berwick plus coach) and clubs (eg 4 from Keilor). That said, the boys that made it will be very good and hard to beat.
Vics could easily field 2 or 3 teams, and probably should for development and opportunity.

In previous years VIC fielded two teams. Is that still the case? Maybe with the new U16s format they have changed it.
Agree on the development piece.

Just one selected at the moment.

I was told that some schools in VIC are not SSV affiliated/member and as a result, their students are not eligible to even tryout.

2300 primary and secondary schools are affiliated, so there wouldn't be that many. Perhaps some private schools. Which makes it quite extraordinary that 8 kids are selected from 3 schools. Go figure.

The 16 Girls side for Vic is very weak, most played VC Reserve or lower in u16 VJBL last year.

There's this kid from SA named Tyler, I think. He's to watch out for in the 12U boys. Interesting to see how much he'd improved. I watched the NJC last year where he easily dominated in the u12s. Until he fouled out during the Semis and Casey came away with the win despite being down double digits in the fourth.

Anyone know why they changed one of the comps from 18s to 16s?

there have been mixed messages about this however I am led to believe that it had to do with HSC year for many of these 18s and also the fact that U18s Nationals take place earlier in the year - April (which didn't really make sense). Have also heard that its a trial for this year.

I am told that of the 28 students selected for u16B and u16G Vic teams:

- 5 from Berwick Secondary (plus boys coach)
- 5 from Maribyrnong Secondary
- 3 from Western Heights
- 3 from Mt Ridley

So, about 60% of team selections from just 4 schools.

Those schools run basketball programs. But surely this looks a little odd / skewed?

depends if there are any selection policies - otherwise it's what they choose.

Looks like there are going to be 2 teams for u16 Vic, based on the website for School Sports Australia. But no teams from SA - that seems a little odd.

SA have a team in bots and girls

SA have a team in bots and girls

Re Vic u16 Boys - would suggest there is very little interest in participating amongst the kids in elite BV pathways.

None of the players selected are high-profile
Rep players.

Age group is really focussed on bottom aged u18. BV pathways are under scrutiny given the poor processes over the last year or so ... so not sure elite is a great descriptor! Anyway, think the kids chosen will be v good, and good to see some different kids getting some exposure.

Any update on squads for this pending tournament.
SA have picked a young team by the looks.
Lehmann- pulled out due to CeO commitments, Same with Somfai
Hodges - maybe didnt trial with all the new Aus selections?? total guess but would walk into this side
Keira Gardiner - 08
Penzy Hocking -07
Daisy Hocking -09
Ella Humphrys -07
Zahlia Niemann -07
Amelia Richardson ( Come in for Lehmann ) -07
Emma Scott -08
Ruby Stockley -09
Krystal Thompson -07
Lucy Wootton -07

Big ask on DHocking being a bottom bottom age but she probably deserves it after her performance in WA. RStockley the same.

Big reliance on Gardiner and Thompson here.

The Vic Girls team is:

Jessica Smith 07
Kendra Rivet 08
Stella O'Loughlin 07
Breanna Carter 07
Sierra Woolhouse 07
Gabriella Conti 08
Hayley Courts 07
Lilly Impey 08
Grace Van Tilburg 07
Tasha Holly Lilydale 07

Jessica Smith and Hayley Courts are the 2 strongest players in this team, neither have played at AJC's so will be interesting to see how they go compared to the kids that have.

It's understandable that many elite kids have not put their hand up for this one. Common sense not to risk injury for a second tier competition.

not only injury, but the world most expensive sport!

QLD - State schools team, some elite name listed

Anna Bassett- Metropolitan West
Bonni Buttsworth - Sunshine Coast
Keriana Hippolite - Metropolitan East
Jaya Lowe - South Coast
Olivia Olechnowicz- Metropolitan East
Emma Petrie- South Coast
Sharni Reisinger- Metropolitan East
Jade Sherrington- South Coast
Isabell Smith- Capricornia
Gia Vukona- Metropolitan East

NSW - red hot favourites with this list IMO...

Jessie-May Hall
Ruby Perkins
Jade Crook
Jennifer Mailei
Erica Finney
Kaila Proctor
Malki Halwala
Angelina Bezzina
Nadia Akuso
Millie Sutcliffe

Any team with Jessie in it has to be favourite. Boys comp will be interesting. NSW look very strong.

XyZ..Agree, she is heads above anyone else in i can see on these teams

Any news on the boys teams ?

Bit of an average tournament imo. Being a school run competition, some states have policies of even court time.

Going by previous threads, Hodges is apparently quitting basketball all together so if this is to be believed, her omission is not a surprise

Lots of girls quit and comeback, they focus on study or another sport or modeling and return. Has happened many times before.

Yeah it's not a high level carnival I agree, and it’s so expensive the kids/families will pick nationals over a school based event like this.
Equal court time is a real school thing isn’t it!
First time it’s been 16s as the 18s didn’t work that well.

From what I see online for the Boys
NSW Team has some strong names
(Yeboah/Blain/Cuda/Gonzalez/Ili//Lau/Markovtzev/Marten-Coney/Troup/Wawszkowicz).
SA
(Bruton/Buley/Gillespie/Kynes/Lim/MacDermotFisk/Mackenzie/Sampson/Scharfbillig)
QLD
(Amoamo/Austin/Gil/Graham/Juhasz/Lagdamen/Mason/Olechnowicz/Scott/Wilson)
VIC
(Jamie G/Phoenix S/Seb R/Marcus K/Zarius T/Troy P/Jack M/Micah L/Kofi A/Cooper N)
WA
(Aglo/Dalton/Kingswood/Fernandez/Mulot/Olowoyo/Pokoina/Price/Sam/Page)
ACT??

Hodges wouldn't have been an omission, she just wouldn't have gone out to trials. Plenty of others that didn't trial either as they prioritised AJCs. Eg Turner, Crase, Elliot and probably every other girl in the nationals gold team except Gardiner and Scott. Same goes for the U18 SA Metro team I'd say.

Big cost for families at $3000+ per kid per trip. Not to mention this tournament clashing with first week of district finals

agree Sabretooth, huge cost for those families thats for sure.

It's a bigger comp for the 12s. Any thoughts on winners and players to watch? I only know of some of the SA kids, so flying blind on this one.

quite a few players N/A it seems

https://www.schoolsportwa.com.au/ssa-16-years-and-under-game-statistics/

I like the chance to see the u12s. Their first chance for rep honours and some early glimpses of potential for the future.

NSW u16 boys beat Vic boys by 60. Ouch. Should be a good final between NSW and QLD.

At this tournament, Vics lost to SA by 30, QLD by 40 and NSW by 60. Selective selections have not worked. Doesn't seem like a worthwhile effort. Thinking for this tournament needs to be reconsidered - either just take kids who go to high schools with basketball academies, to promote those academies, or select a team from the broader talent available (and tap talent to try-out).

Pretty disappointing, not just coming 4th but the size of defeats which is not like a Vic team of whatever nature. Got no insight into the team / circumstances, but looking at some of the score sheets looks like shooting was an issue and outdone on the boards. Would be interested to know what work is done in bringing the team together - nature of try-outs and number of training sessions - anyone know how they run this?

Anyway, watched GF and qld / nsw were very strong.

Coaches can only select from those that try out. Clearly, some state's best players are not interested, which is understandable in the scheme of their priorities.