Australian Under-14 Club Championships: Rockhampton Rockets win silver medal to make association history

‘It’s huge’: The Rockhampton Rockets under-14 boys have achieved a first for the association. Read what the general manager and coach had to say about their incredible success here.

The Rockhampton Rockets players and coaching staff proudly display the silver medals they won at the Australian Under-14 Club Championships in Sydney.

The Rockhampton Rockets received a rousing reception on their return home from their silver-medal winning performance at the Australian Under-14 Club Championships.

A band of family, friends and supporters were at the airport to cheer the boys as they wrote another chapter in the history books of Rockhampton Basketball’s junior program.

They were the first underage team from the association to ever qualify for nationals courtesy of their second-placed finish at the state titles in June.

The Rockhampton Rockets players and coaching staff proudly display the silver medals they won at the Australian Under-14 Club Championships in Sydney.

They doubled down on that by winning silver at those nationals in Sydney on Friday, putting in a valiant performance in the grand final but going down 88-54 against the Nunawading Spectres.

Watch the grand final replay here.

Rockhampton Basketball’s general manager Wade Rebetzke said it was an incredible effort from the Greg Elson-coached outfit.

“It’s the first team we’ve ever had at national titles and to come home with some bling around their neck, a silver medal and second in the nation, it’s huge for our association,” he said.

“No one rated us going down to the national titles - little old Rockhampton from regional Queensland - and we went and knocked off some pretty big teams down there.

“We were talking before we went about trying to make the top 12 and we came away with a silver medal.

The cheer squad ready at the city's airport to welcome the Rockhampton Rockets home after the silver-medal winning performance at the Australian Under-14 Club Championships. Photo: Kent Murray

“They can’t get the grin off their face.

“When you walk into the support from your association and the public of Rockhampton like that, it’s something the boys will remember for life.

“This will be an experience they’ll talk about for many years to come.”

The young history makers are Nash Rebetzke, Joseph Munsel, Corben Huff, Jacob Houston, Spencer Head, Andrew Watene, Sam Driscoll, Tyson Carlos, Gus Loughnan and Lucas Mabb.

Coach Elson said he was “super proud” of his young charges.

“We’ve been together for a while now, a few seasons, and we focus on what we do well and we’ve improved from states too,” he said.

“It just shows them what they can achieve when they put their mind to it.

Rockhampton Basketball general manager Wade Rebetzke:

“We worked really hard from last November to get here and if they keep working hard, they can go anywhere.”

Rebetzke lauded the resilience of the group and said the way they stuck together was key to them going so far in the tournament.

“The boys have achieved what they deserve; they put the work in and prepared really well since the state titles and they got the results,” he said.

“We’ve got some great talent coming through and the growth in the game is huge in this region and we’re hoping to build on that.

“Hopefully (this) inspires a few more kids to really put their heads down and see what they can achieve.”