THE Horsham Amateur Basketball Association will send two junior sides to the division three and four state championships in Bendigo at the weekend.
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The under-18 boys and under-16 girls sides will both be put to the test against some of the best young basketball talent in the state.
Coach of the under-18 boys Tony Sleep said it was going to be a tough weekend of basketball.
“We are taking seven boys and they will have a tough schedule with four games on the first day of the championships,” he said.
“I feel that the team will remain competitive throughout. We have a good blend of speed and size as well as a solid mix of top and bottom-age players.”
Sleep said with a small squad, managing rotations will be important throughout the tournament.
“With only taking seven players, rotations will be important to keep the guys fresh,” he said.
“I have faith in the team we are taking and that they can have a competitive weekend.”
The tournament marks the last junior state championships for four of the Hornets players as they move out of the junior age groups.
“This will be Darcy Hogan, Riley Bryan, Jack Sleep and Will Griffiths’ last year as juniors in Hornets uniform,” coach Sleep said.
The under-16 girls, coached by Damien Kilpatrick, will head to Bendigo full of confidence after a strong season so far.
They have had a host of impressive performances this year, and have seen plenty of improvement.
The side came runners-up the last time it competed in Bendigo at the Bendigo Junior Classic in January.
The under-16 girls also recently competed strongly at the Naracoorte Junior Tournament, finishing runners-up in division one at that tournament.
They will be hoping to carry that run of form into the state division three and four championships, with the competition to be at a higher level than what they have experienced so far this season.
