Victory for our Suns

Coffs Harbour Basketball's Suns Under-14 women defeated Cairns to claim an Australian Junior Championship shield.

CHAMPIONS: Coffs Harbour Basketball Suns. Picture: Tony Bowler

THE Coffs Harbour Suns Under 14 Women Division 1 Team made their way to Shepparton, Victoria recently to compete in the 2018 Australian Under 14 Girls Club Championships.

The Australian Junior Championships form a vital pathway from participation through to elite competition for the nation's junior athletes and also illustrates the strength of our country programs.

Under the current format for the Australian U14 Club Championships, 24 teams are divided into six pools of four teams and play a round robin competition. The top two teams in each pool then play for the Championship Division and the teams placed third and fourth in each pool compete for the Shield Division

In the Shield Division, Coffs Harbour Suns U14 Women defeated the Cairns Dolphins in a close grand final.

Cairns moved in front by 10 points midway through the third quarter but right when they threatened to blow the game open, Coffs Harbour responded with a 12-2 run to make it all square at the final change thanks in part to Isla Juffermans (23 points).

The lead then changed hands six times in the fourth quarter but once again Cairns looked to be in the box seat with a three-point lead inside the last two minutes.

Jemimah Andrews (eight points) had other ideas though, hitting the next three baskets to move the Suns in front.

Clair Crampton (13 points) put the finishing touches on an exciting victory with a long-range bomb as Coffs Harbour won 57-51, making the Sun's girls Shield Winners.

AUSTRALIA FAIR PLAY AWARD

The Australia Fair Play Award is to recognise the club that conducts itself in a respectful manner over the course of the Championship. While the criteria for such an award has a degree of subjectivity, the overall ethos of the award overrides any problems with measurement or lack of objectivity.

The award is designed to promote all-round sportsmanship at a young age and encourage the positive values of respect, competitive understanding and cooperation.

Well done to all players, coach Les Gough assistant coach Emily Crampton and all their many supporters