Geelong United junior Hugh Buckby to represent country Victoria at the national champs

The under-16 national basketball championships will have a distinct Geelong region flavour from early next month, including an emerging star who could dunk at the age of 13.

The national under-16 basketball championships will have a distinct Geelong region flavour from early next month, with five players and an assistant coach making two state squads.

Geelong United junior Hugh Buckby, who plays for YMCA at an under-16 and senior men’s level in the GUB Winter Community Competition, has made the Victorian team after being named an emergency last year.

Known for his elite shooting and ability to dunk from a young age – he broke the all-time St Joseph’s College standing vertical leap record of 85cm as a Year 9 student – the 193cm Buckby was selected after impressing at the Australian Junior Country Basketball Cup in Albury in January, where his Vic Goldminers, naturally, won the gold.

Hugh Buckby has been selected in the Victorian country under-16 team. Picture: Sam Buckby.

He eventually made the final 10 after a March combine.

“It was pretty exciting,” Buckby said of when he got the news.

“The goal is to make the Australian team after nationals, hopefully I perform well and get that opportunity.”

Buckby, who was a ruckman with St Mary’s Football Club before focusing more on hoops this year, started at YMCA at age six before playing his first game in the men’s team in 2022 at just 14.

Hugh Buckby playing at the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup in Albury. Picture: Sam Buckby.

Proud father Sam, Hugh’s coach at junior level, said his son was also Canberra-bound in August for a five-day National Performance Camp at the Centre of Excellence.

“He’s been playing Division 1 for Geelong (United) for a number of years now and always performs well at that level,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bellarine basketball received endorsement for its junior program after it produced its first country state representative at the under-16 level with Keegan Johnson selected for the Perth tournament in July (2-9)

Lara Giants’ Fletcher Pulleine has also been named as an emergency, while Ayisha Balogun (Wildcats) and Willow Smith (Pivot City) are emergencies in the state country girls team.

Geelong United under-18 mentor Jo Bowie will serve as an assistant coach.

Originally published as Geelong United junior Hugh Buckby to represent country Victoria at the national champs