2025 Basketball Australia Under-18 & Junior Wheelchair National Championships insider: Live blog Latest news, updates and highlights
The champions have been crowned at the Basketball Australia U18 and Junior Wheelchair National Championships. Read all the grand final latest in our live blog.
After an action-packed week in Moreton Bay there has been grand final glory at the Basketball Australia Under-18 & Junior Wheelchair National Championships.
KommunityTV exclusively live streamed every match from the boys, girls and junior wheelchair divisions.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GRAND FINAL REPLAYS
‘PROUD’ COUNTRY MAKE IT A VIC DOUBLE
The most Australian looking bloke on the court, Traralgon’s Will Hamilton, had his hands in everything as Victorian Country defeated NSW Metro 83-74 in a frantic and fantastic grand finale to the U18 National Championships.
The game hung in the balance when Country held a slender 69-65 lead with a little over four minutes to play.
A crucially converted and-one play by Lucas Byrne, which made it 74-68, was the first of three big plays made by Vic to ensure their hard work was rewarded.
“I am over the moon with them (the boys),” Country coach Brenton O’Brien said, still gathering his emotions.
“To bring this back to Vic Country after 35 years is just the best feeling ever.
“All the work that everyone has done, their associations. Everyone back in Vic Country I hope they know how much it meant to us that they were supporting us and they should celebrate this with us.”
Guard Alex Gray followed up Byrne’s late-game brilliance with another and-one layup to pull his team into the clear 77-70. Then, to put the icing on the cake, guard Levi Munyard drained a three with 1:30 left on the clock to go in front 82-70 and spark wild celebrations.
“We stuck together as a team and I am so proud of the boys,” said instrumental forward Will Hamilton (17pts).
“The journey has been amazing, I couldn’t be prouder… The hours, the amount of training we put in. I am so proud.”
Hamilton is referencing the accumulation of effort which went into boys, who hail from all different areas including Traralgon and Geelong, coming together for one common goal.
“If we added up all the kilometres these boys did over their preparation it was 106,000 kilometres,” concluded coach O’Brien.
“Just to see them realise how prepared they were was rewarding. This group is so tight knit. They’re the best kids. I love them so much.
“It’s been such a great journey.”
Before his teammates came alive in the clutch to cause havoc against Metro defenders, Hamilton hounded the glass (13rbs) to quickly raise eyebrows.
Sporting a long-flowing blonde mullet, the 15-year-old sporting all-rounder - who plays as a forward in Australian rules football - rallied hard on the boards to power the country folk to a nail-biting nine-point win.
He had 12 points and eight rebounds at half time and was the attacking weapon his team needed to weather the storm of a resurgent Metro side.
Metro conceded 15 points before scoring their first bucket with four minutes left in the first.
They pulled it back to 21-14 at quarter time before Antonio Brown’s blistering second quarter showing (three threes) saw NSW take a slender 39-38 lead into the second half.
RYAN STARS AS VIC METRO CROWNED CHAMPS
An exceptionally efficient showing from Victoria Metro forward Madison Ryan provided the fantastic foundations for her team’s triumphant 111-79 grand final win over South Australia.
Ryan, a cerebral 16-year-old with the world at her feet, scored 22 points and dished out nine assists to leave onlookers creeping forward in anticipation of her next move.
But it was her work off the ball, cutting, springing into space and disrupting shots which made her that much more influential in her team’s 32-point take down of a SA outfit which never went away.
“The way we were together the whole way through, even when we were down, even when we’re up, we just stayed together,” Ryan said of what made the team’s bond so special across the week-long tournament.
“This group of girls and the coaching staff are just insane.
“It’s the best I’ve ever had.”
The downright impressive Mentone Girls’ Secondary College Year 10 student was responsible for a handful of flashy dimes, three threes (four attempts), six steals and proved the glue which brought together her talented teammates on both ends.
There’s little wonder she proved such a game-breaker. The 190cm rising star from Sandringham started playing at the ripe age of five and has been fixated on one thing since - winning.
“I love to win,” Ryan smiled.
“I think having that winning mentality really helps me show it on the court.”
That mentality, paired with a deep love for the game, saw Ryan rise above the pack to be the undisputed player of the match.
“Just the love I have for the sport,” Ryan said of her motivation.
“I want to play it for the rest of my life.”
Vic led 20-9 when the first timeout was called. Ryan had stamped her mark on the match with a soft touch around the rim and stunning passing to spearhead her side across the first five minutes.
Vic kept their foot on the gas to lead 36-17 after one and 60-45 at half time.
At the break Metro had one hand on the title, courtesy of an impenetrable full-court press built on dazzling disrupters Sitaya Fagan and Ryan who thwarted SA’s offence.
SA’s Caitlin Hardin was key in keeping her side intact. She was on a heater from deep, with one of four first-half threes beating the half-time buzzer as she rattled home a hail Mary while off balance.
Annaliese Elliott (15pts) was also impressive throwing traffic back Vic’s way. But 13 points was the closest SA got to Vic in the second half before Angus and her band of teammates took full control to lead 88-57 entering the final frame.
Angus was exceptional on all levels and her determination was eclipsed when she pulled off a stunning block with five minutes to go when her side led by 30 points. Moments later, Matilda Trout threw her body on the floor diving for a loose ball.
WHEELCHAIR
A brilliant one-two punch combo provided by Cooper Spillane and Kane Downie delivered the goods for South Australia in its stunning 86-51 grand final win over Queensland.
Just last year SA could not field a team after finishing last in 2022 and 2023. In 2025, South Australian local Spillane and his accomplices could not be stopped and a complete team performance in the final ensured they’d escape South Pine Sporting Complex with gold medals hanging from their neck.
The dynamic duo of Spillane and Downie combined for 57 and they scored, rebounded and defended with determination in 40-minute performances which dictated the game.
Around them, Isobella Nitschke (17 pts) was a menacing presence down low and Alex Blackmore (10 pts, 5 asts) a great link man.
Spillane, a young veteran of upwards of four national wheelchair championships, poured in NBA numbers (31 pts, 10asts, 5 stls) to inspire his side back from a five-point first quarter deficit to a 63-36 scoreline entering the final frame.
This time last year the unflappable 17-year-old inspired the Western Australian Black Ducks to gold with a 22 point, eight steal, nine assist masterclass and he repeated the dose to get past a gutsy Queensland outfit which started fast.
SECOND QUARTER RAMPAGE
The South Australian’s found a new level after a slow start saw them trail 16-11 after 10 minutes.
With Spillane and Downie spearheads, the visitors turned the tide during a 23-7 run which flipped the match on its head. SA led 34-23 entering the second half.
They maintained the rage to begin the third quarter when going on a 13-4 run to extend their lead into the 20s. A pulsating 52-point second half ensued and the SA side were home and hosed.
Queensland hard worker Zac Uhr had got off to a fine start scoring eight points and bringing down four rebounds to contribute heavily to his team’s terrific opening.
Passionate captain Zach Binns was brilliant, stroking it from deep (2-3 3PT FG) to finish with 31 points.
He made everything happen for the Queenslanders and should hold his head high after giving his impressive all-round effort.
Check out the best stories from across a big week of action in our tournament insider live blog below.
Watch replays: U18 & Junior Wheelchair Nationals, Grand Finals
Grand final day has proven twice as nice for Victoria as the powerhouse claimed two titles, while SA completed a fairytale run at the Basketball Australia nationals. Watch all the REPLAYS.
Watch replays: U18 & Junior Wheelchair Nationals, Semi-Finals
A major semi-final upset was the highlight of the penultimate day of action at the U18 Nationals, with the four teams locking themselves into grand finals. Watch the REPLAYS here.