Mosman High Grizzlies basketball team aiming for national and state titles

MOSMAN High School’s under-15 boys’ basketball team are aiming for nationals again and are in the last 16 for the state titles.

Mosman High School’s under-15 boys' basketball team is this week’s Junior Sports Star nomination. Picture: Virginia Young

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THE Mosman Grizzlies are so dedicated to basketball they give up school and holidays to compete in their favourite sport.

The Mosman High School under-15 boys’ basketball team is this week’s Junior Sports Star nomination in the Team Spirit category.

The boys won the 2015 Australian Schools Championships in the under-15 boys’ freshman division two and their success continues this year.

The Grizzlies will vie for a place in the top eight of the NSW Combined High Schools competition next month.

Head coach Phil Webster said this season was the first time the boys were in the final 16.

“After winning nationals we rated ourselves to go a long way,” he said.

Mosman High School’s under-15 boys' basketball team. Picture: Virginia Young

“It’s a knockout competition and starts with hundreds of teams, then it comes down to the final eight.

“There’s a separate tournament in November where the top eight play it out.

“Most of the top eight will be specialist sports schools.

“It will be tough for us if we make it.”

Webster said the Grizzlies were the best team on the peninsula, having won the Manly competition for the past two or three years.

The current year nine champions are playing in the Manly Warringah Basketball Association’s year 10 boys’ division one this season.

Webster said the year nine students were overachieving for their age in their zone.

Mosman High School’s under-15 boys’ basketball team. Picture: Virginia Young

“The year nine competition is not challenging enough,” he said.

“This is why we pushed them towards competitions at state and national level.

“They’re our best team.

“There’s a great camaraderie between them, they have great team spirit and they work really hard.”

The Grizzlies will compete in the invitation-only Sydney Schools Shootout next week which attracts major independent schools.

The team will return to nationals in the under-17 division two in December.

Rebel is the major awards sponsor. SportsTG sponsors the Team Spirit award.

Nominate online at juniorsportsstar.com.au/nominate.

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