Wildcats take club championship

A Yarragon Wildcats basketball team can lay claim to being the best in the state after taking out the Victorian club championships recently.

The Wildcats A grade women’s side, which is made up of players still eligible to play in the under 16 age group, entered the club championships after taking out the winter competition premiership.

The team travelled to Ballarat for the championships, which were open to all domestic teams in the state and held on September 30 and October 1.

The Wildcats scored comfortable wins in their pool games against Pivot City, Grovedale and Ballarat Celtics to advance to the finals.

The Wildcats disposed of the Celtics 43-14 in the semi final to progress through to the final to take on Pivot City, who were the defending champions.

Coach Danny Murnane said the team, made up of 14 and 15-year old girls, had decided to test themselves at the club championships following consecutive A grade premierships.

“We thought we would have a good shot at the club championships and thought we should go,” he said.

Despite defeating Pivot City comfortably in the pool game, the going proved tough in the final.

“Pivot City were on top early, we were six points down in the first half,” Murnane said.

“We took a time out to settle and went away with it.

“The score doesn’t show how close the game was, it was a close game in the first half.

“We probably had some first half nerves, we settled and got our defence going.

“That was the toughest game, against Pivot City.

“We got them snoozing in the first game maybe.”

“Pivot have a state player and they’re a strong club.”

Murnane said the team would now turn their attention to the summer competition domestically, where they will again compete in A grade women’s.

“That was their last tournament before going up to under 18s and it will be another step up again,” he said.

“They will all go to Warragul Warriors in squad and will be vying for selection for country championships in February.”

Murnane said the team would consider testing themselves again at the club championships next year, this time as an under 18 side.

“We’ll go next year, they’ll all be bottom age under 18,” he said.

Yarragon Wildcats defeated Pivot City to take out the Victorian club championship. Pictured back row from left Stephanie Bryce, Caitlin Farr, Makaela Zeldenryk, Ellie Coutts, Kiana Conroy, coach Danny Murnane, front Jasmine Short, Tiani Fallon and...