Basketball Australia U18 Nationals, Kevin Coombs Cup live stream: Queensland South v NSW Metro opens tournament (U18 & Kevin Coombs Nationals)

It was an electric atmosphere and defending champions Queensland South showed they certainly mean business with a inspired demolition of NSW Metro. Relive all the action.

It was billed as the heavyweight clash, and it didn’t disappoint.

But it was Queensland South who kicked their Under-18 National Championship title defence off in overdrive.

With a star studded front court doing the damage on the boards, and the craftiness of Indy Cotten pulling the strings with his slick passing game, the hometown team proved unstoppable against NSW Metro.

WATCH THE FULL MATCH REPLAY IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Plenty of passion from the beaten Blues. Pic: Taylor Earnshaw Images

Rocco Zikarsky was unstoppable. Pic: Taylor Earnshaw Images

It was a great start by the home team. Pic: Taylor Earnshaw Images

The Queensland side led from buzzer to buzzer, pulling clear in the final quarter to lodge a 97-71 victory to start the nationals in Brisbane.

Rocco Zikarsky and Roman Siulepa gave an early glimpse of why the best basketball minds in the country believe they could well be the future of the Boomers front court with a sizzling display.

The Maroons flew out of the blocks in the first term, before NSW Metro pegged back the difference through the middle stages of the clash.

But in the end it proved a bridge too far for the sky blues, who will have little time to lick their wounds before a clash with South Australia Country on Sunday.

Queensland South will also meet SA Country in their second game of the tournament which will kick off the action on Court 1 at South Pine Sports Complex on Sunday.

Queensland made life tough for NSW all night.

A big, vocal crowd roared on the home side. Pic: Taylor Earnshaw Images

PREVIEW: State of Origin clash to light up Nationals opening night

The U18s basketball national championships tips off tonight with a State of Origin-style match-up between reigning boys champions Queensland South and NSW Metro.

The Queensland side narrowly defeated Victoria Metro 82-78 to claim the 2022 title, but face a stiff battle to make it to the gold medal match in 2023.

NSW Metro have been without a championship since they capped off a three-peat in 2012, and will be determined to better their fifth place finish from last year.

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All 119 matches across a massive eight days of competition in Brisbane will be LIVE STREAMED on KommunityTV, including the boys, girls and Kevin Coombs Cup (wheelchair athletes).

Queensland South coach Sean Carroll said the opening match will be important in setting up the side’s title defence.

“The NSW game will be an exciting opportunity for our group to see where we are at,” Carroll said.

“I expect both teams to be around the mark at the end of the week, so it should be a great game to kick off a huge week of basketball.“

The side boasts two NBA Global Academy players in Rocco Zikarsky and Roman Siulepa, who Carroll said are instrumental to the team.

“Siulepa and Zikarsky will need to be at their best as we will rely on their big game international experience to help us get the win,” he said.

Queensland South's Roman Siulepa and Rocco Zikarsky.

NSW Metro coach Reece Potter said facing ‘Queensland South in the first game will be a really tough one.’

“They’ve got a lot of players returning from that championship side last year, so they know how to get it done,” he said.

However, Potter has full faith in his team’s abilities.

“We think we’ve got a team that can contend, and will hopefully be in the mix for the gold medal,” Potter said.