Duo in national titles

Horsham has consolidated its reputation for producing elite-level basketballers with teenagers Austin Mckenzie and Sam Breuer winning selection to play in Australian junior championships.

The pair will represent Victoria Country in an under-18 division in Ballarat in April. They are part of a 10-person team selectors picked after assessing performances at an Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup event in Albury.

Horsham Amateur Basketball Association president and renowned coach Owen Hughan said the duo’s selection was impressive considering the ‘massive’ field of players available.

“It’s a pretty good effort and a great piece of news on the back of Austin’s brother Jeremiah planning a trip to take up a scholarship in the United States,” he said.

The Vic Country team will play against other representative teams from across Australia.

Mr Hughan said Mckenzie generally played as ‘forward three’ or lighter shooter but would probably end up playing as an off-guard ‘two’ based on his ability to score heavily ‘on the inside’.

He said Breuer played as ‘two’ but as he progressed through high-level competition might end up a ‘one’.

“I first coached these guys at bottom age when most of the team couldn’t throw the ball to the ring. They copped some horrible floggings, which meant they had to hang in there,” he said.

“Since then there have been many coaches helping guide them through various stages and it’s a great credit to them as well as the two players.”