Basketballers to pull on Big V

Taking the next step with their elite basketball, Warragul and District Amateur Basketball Association athletes Georgia Koopmans and Dallas Loughridge will get their first taste of wearing the Big V at the Southern Cross Challenge.

Picked from a series of selection camps across the year, the Southern Cross Challenge (SCC) gives elite juniors insight into elite development and higher-level gameplay across the fourday tournament.

The 2018 Southern Cross Challenge will be held at the State Basketball Centre, Wantirna South in January, with both Georgia and Dallas picked in the Victoria Country under 15 girls 22 player squad.

The Southern Cross Challenge (SCC) is the beginning of the high-performance pathway for identified athletes, coaches and officials. A Basketball Victoria initiative, the tournament is positioned to aid the development of those identified, providing an opportunity to take part in an elite tournament setting.

Basketball Victoria’s High Performance Coach Country Justin Schueller said the country contingent – selected from their outstanding tryouts at Shepparton – will set up their elite basketball journeys in tandem with the NITP selections.

“Southern Cross Challenge is an important step for our elite country athletes as they progress further into the country high performance pathway,” Schueller said.

“Selection into SCC from Country Victoria is an amazing achievement and coupled with NITP, it showcases our best juniors and gives them an opportunity to become better players and people on and off the court.

“We wish the best of luck to our Country athletes heading into the Southern Cross Challenge and Australian Junior Country Basketball Cup.”

Victoria Metropolitan swept all four titles in 2017, with Victoria Country snapping at their heels in a series of excellent intrastate clashes throughout the tournament.