Live stream: Norths Bears ready to impress at inaugural Basketball Australia Under-18 National Club Championships

With a couple of their big names unavailable, Norths Bears will give some of their young guns the chance to shine at the BA U18 Club Championships. Catch the action LIVE from Tuesday.

The impressive Norths Bears girls headline a small, but select, NSW challenge for the inaugural U18 Basketball Australia Club Championships in Perth.

And despite being without U17 Australian Sapphires players Zoe Jackson, Ruby Perkins and Erica Finney, the Bears have plenty of talent to be a real title threat.

How to watch the Basketball Australia Under-18 National Club Championships

Future NBA and WNBA stars you need to watch in Perth

Catch all the action across the six-day tournament LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV. That’s 106 games across four courts, including both grand finals.

And it all starts with a dose of 22 games from 11am on Tuesday, September 17, including Norths’ opening two games against Western Australian sides Joondalup Wolves and Binar.

Check out the full LIVE STREAM schedule below.

With many of the girls moving out of the junior ranks next year, coach Tom Garlepp said Norths were keen to compete and soak up the atmosphere.

“We want to go and give it a good crack, but also enjoy the event for what it is,” Garlepp said.

North Bears have enjoyed a big 2024.

“And for those players who are moving on after six-plus years representing the club, this is a really nice way to send them off.”

This group of Norths girls have been hugely successful over the past few seasons and this year they claimed the Junior Premier League title and were also third at the National Junior Classic in Melbourne.

With Jackson, Perkins and Finney unavailable, coach Garlepp said he was keen to see younger talents shine in their absence.

“Olivia Hastings and Bec Donnelly are two really strong state-level players,” Garlepp said.

“Olivia played for New Zealand at the (U17) World Cup and performed quite well, she was one of the statistical leaders among the front core players.

“Bec Donnelly has been to an Australian camp before and she’s a pretty dynamic wing player.”

After opening their campaign against the hometown teams, Norths will then face Tasmania Tigers and Melbourne Tigers.

Olivia Hastings recently played for New Zealand.

“We played against Melbourne at the (National Junior Classic) and they were very good that day,” Garlepp said.

“They are very strong and if they take that same side, I dare say they’ll be the team to beat.

“I think the other team to watch out for, that from my perspective has a very genuine chance of winning, would be West Adelaide.

“I think they’re fielding a full side, they’ve got some very good talent and from all reports have been preparing very well.”

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