Live stream: Canberra Capitals' Jade Melbourne behind Basketball Victoria's Junior Country Champs (BV Country Championships)

One of Australia’s rising basketball stars has thrown her support behind the Victorian Country Championships as she reflects on the impact it had on her development.

Jade Melbourne has spoken highly of the importance of the Junior Country Championships. Photo: Getty Images.

One of Australia’s fastest rising basketball stars believes she couldn’t have reached the heights she has today without the experience of Basketball Victoria’s Junior Country Championships.

Australian Opal Jade Melbourne, who plays in the WNBL with the Canberra Capitals, was a star attraction at the 2019 event where her Traralgon T-Birds narrowly lost the final to tournament hosts the Bendigo Braves.

She is just one of many big names to have strutted their stuff at the tournament including Jaz Shelley, Dyson Daniels, Matthew Dellavedova and Jack White.

In the lead-up to the 2021 tournament, which will be live streamed on the Herald Sun website, the 19-year-old spoke of the importance of playing against regional Victoria’s best players.

“It was one of my favourite events on the basketball calendar,” she said on Wednesday.

“It was something I would look forward to every year because it did so much for my development. To come up against so many talented opposition players and teams opened up my eyes to the different styles you could come up against.

“Some of the girls I played against have gone onto college basketball in the United States. But Piper Dunlop is someone who I grew up playing against and now she’s with the Bendigo Spirit in the WNBL.

Jade Melbourne previously starred at the event. Photo: Getty Images.

“Our pathways to where we are now wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our local coaches.

“Even when I was at the Australian Institute of Sport I would be telling my coach I wanted to come back and play in the Country Championships.”

Melbourne said she had a simple piece of advice for every player who is set to take to the court this weekend.

“Make the most of every opportunity you get on the court,” she said.

“Whether you play 40 minutes or 40 seconds for your team you have a great chance to do something which could have a big impact on the game.

“But the most important thing to do is enjoy it because as you get older you realise how much you miss playing in these tournaments.”

Competition at the Country Championships will get underway from 9am on Saturday morning with finals to be played throughout Sunday.

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