Wheelchair Basketball Northern Challenge is anyone's game

THE Mackay Machines will look to young Brayden Foxley-Conolly to lead them to victory at the Northern Challenge this weekend.

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL: The Mackay Machines will look to young player Brayden Foxley-Conolly to lead them to victory at the Wheelchair Basketball Northern Challenge this weekend.

Coach Peter Sumpter said the 12-year-old is going from strength to strength after a stellar performance at the Junior National Championships in March, his first time competing in that competition.

Sumpter summed up his game in one word - electric.

"He is really determined and when he is playing he is totally focussed,” he said.

Brayden was up against experience players twice his age.

"He was playing a lot better than them,” Sumpter said. "If you start to take age into consideration he is quite a stand-out.”

The most impressive thing about Brayden is his training since being home from the national competition.

"He has really worked on what he learnt and what he saw the more experienced players doing and incorporated that into his game,” Sumpter said.

Brayden played with the Machines in the Northern Challenge last year, when he was named most improved.

Mackay will play host to Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns for the first two rounds.

Sumpter said it's anyone's game with all teams, except Cairns, winning the challenge over the past three years. He said Townsville would be their biggest challenge.

"They have a strong line-up of experienced players, a lot of ex military,” he said.

Game on

When: Saturday and Sunday May 6-7

Where: Mackay Basketball Stadium

Time: Games to be played from 9am to 3pm

Originally published as Wheelchair Basketball Northern Challenge is anyone's game