Victoria prepares to defend its titles in the Country Cup after two year absence

Victoria is leaving no stone unturned to chase success at the Australian Country Cup starting on Tuesday. Here’s how the Big V is attacking the tournament differently in 2023.

Victoria is giving itself every chance of bringing home the silverware from the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup.

Entering this week’s competition as reigning champions in several age groups, the Big V have stacked their teams with talent including Australian talents.

HOW TO WATCH THE AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY CUP LIVE

Victoria will be looking to win again the under-14 boys, under-16 girls and boys and under-18 boys and girls.

“We always come here with high expectations — rightly or wrongly,” Basketball Victoria high performance coach for country men Nathan Cooper-Brown said.

“We really enjoy this environment.

“We put a lot of expectation on athletes and coaches to come here to develop, to enjoy the environment, to get better and to perform, we want to have success here.”

This year officials have made sure it’s under-18 boys team is stacked with talent.

Sa Pilimai, Ned Renfree and Ben Waller are included after recently being selected in a national training camp to be held next week.

The only players missing who have been invited to that event are Dash Daniels, the brothers of NBA player Dyson, and Mading Kuany who are overseas in France with the NBA Global Academy.

Dash Daniels was a late out for this year’s Country Cup. Picture: Rob Leeson.

Cooper-Brown said it was planned, not just to get the best out of the tournament, but for their development and Victoria’s benefit for national tournaments.

“Normally we would keep them quite even but this year we’ve done that (made one strong and) made a team with more of our NPP – national performance program athletes,” he said.

“They are our future green and gold or athletes who have been to green and gold camps.

“(We’re) using this tournament to build chemistry of players who may represented Country Vic at a national championship.

“(It’s the) first time we’ve done it, we’ll see how it goes.”

Dyson Daniels, 5, played in the winning under-18 Victorian team in 2020. Picture: Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup.

Cooper-Brown said their under-16 teams look strong while their under-14 teams are purely development teams with the better players focusing on another tournament, which starts later this week.

The girls teams also look strong and are intent on success.

While the major focus is on success, Victoria’s country teams are also aiming to create the next Dyson Daniels, who played in the last tournament in 2020, in under-18, and is now in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans.

“It really creates the increase passion, drive and thirst as to who is next one,” Cooper-Brown said.

“The whole reason we do this is we want to see the athletes achieve their dream.

“Dyson is such a wonderful man and the work he did is deserving of where he is now.

“We love being able to use his story, to use that narrative to show this current crop of men and women of what is capable if you put in the hard work.”