2025 Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships girls preview: SA Metro girls ‘galvanised’ for deep run

With returning stars and title success already under their belt, SA Metro are determined to make a deep run in at the U18 National Championships. Read the girls team previews.

They’ve had a taste of gold and now a South Australian Metro girls side brimming with talent is set to launch an assault on the national title.

But it will be nailing the crucial moments deep into the tournament which will bring success at the Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships, according to coach Tom Hilbig.

Every match will be exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV from April 6-13.

Five players in this SA Metro side were part of a team who stormed to the under-16 nationals gold medal in 2023.

U18 NATIONALS HUB: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, LIVE STREAM LINKS, FULL SCHEDULE

Keira Gardiner in action for SA Metro at the 2024 Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

And four – Keira Gardiner, Aspen Crase, Olivia Tredrea and Abbey Jones – return to the U18 championships after featuring as bottom-agers last year.

That team looked to be one of the leading contenders for the tournament before going down to interstate rival SA Country in the quarter-finals.

Hilbig, who takes over as U18 coach, said it wasn’t lost on the team how much needs to go right to win a national medal.

“You have to win the crucial games, and sometimes it doesn’t all come together,” he said.

“The girls returning are absolutely galvanised off the back of last year though and determined to make a deep finals run.

“Our athletes set themselves the goal to win gold, and we feel we’re around the mark which is all you can ask for.”

While a full team performance will be required for any success, SA is blessed with two of the top talents at the tournament in Gardiner and Crase.

Aspen Crase at the Basketball Australia Schools Championships. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

Henley High player Olivia Tredrea during the Basketball Australia Schools Championships. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

Hilbig said with Tredrea and Jones also returning from 2024 there was strong cohesion in the squad.

“Our captains, Aspen and Olivia, have stepped up tremendously as leaders for the group,” he said.

“Keira and Abbey always lead by example, and we’ve seen them grow in confidence which everyone feeds off.”

SA Metro will begin its campaign against Tasmania on Sunday in Pool A, which also features danger sides Victoria Metro and Queensland North along with NSW Country and WA Country.

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Last year: 12th
Coach: Jenny Lonergan

Key player: Hena Lomu
Squad: Kaiya Barsby, Olivia Brankovic, Indiana Clowry, Zara Funnell, Maya Har, Molly Lacey, Jorja Langi, Hena Lomu, Madison Scholfield, Ava Tawake

NEW SOUTH WALES COUNTRY

Last year: 6th
Coach: Andrew Williams
Key player: Kira Juffermans
Squad: Rose Bond, Isabelle Burns, Molly Coble, Hayley DeFriskbom, Jazzy Gordon, Kira Juffermans, Kijana McCowan, Isabel Morgan, Alina Pasakarnis, Lillian Ragan

NEW SOUTH WALES METRO

Last year: Gold Medal
Coach: Danielle D’Morias
Key player: Kaila Proctor
Squad: Nadia Aukuso, Sienna Clark, Ebony Dixon, Rebecca Donnelly, Lola Gralton, Olivia Hastings, Mia Minshall, Kaila Proctor, Peyton Skinner, Angela Tako

QUEENSLAND NORTH

Last year: 11th
Coach: Myra Donkin
Key player: Taryn Bond
Squad: Alley Simpson, Breanna Edgerton, Cheyenne Bobongie, Clara Kolb, Eden Catip, Isabel Smith, Leah Pearson-Pitt, Lily Mapp, Macey Lahrs, Maggie Thorburn, Taryn Bond

QUEENSLAND SOUTH

Last year: Silver Medal
Coach: James Rapinett
Key player: Olivia Olechnowicz
Squad: Claudia Barry, Jade Sherrington, Jema Sebasio, Jemyma Manyok, Jovana Ilic, Lisa Holl, Mya Moke, Olivia Olechnowicz, Sinai Foai, Tereise Reupena, Violet Johnson

SOUTH AUSTRALIA COUNTRY

Last year: 4th
Coach: Lukass Blicavs
Key player: Daisy Hocking
Squad: Claire Mitchell, Daisy Hocking, Holly Grant, Isla Millard, Lily Milosevic, Mahlia James, Mia Richards, Ruby Stockley, Shayden Russell, Stella Reed

SOUTH AUSTRALIA METRO

Last year: 5th
Coach: Thomas Hilbig
Key player: Aspen Crase
Squad: Abbey Jones, Alek Deng, Annaliese Elliott, Arabella Beinke, Aspen Crase, Caitlin Hardin, Keira Gardiner, Olivia Tredrea, Sarah Warner, Shamah Gabriel Yak

TASMANIA

Last year: 7th
Coach: Tony Webb
Key player: Andie Smith
Squad: Portia Chopping, Harriet Close, Ella Lee, Kirra Munns, Matilda Neate, Nikki Parker, Sophie Ryan, Eva Schulze, Andie Smith, Bailie Wickham

VICTORIA COUNTRY

Last year: Bronze Medal
Coach: Joseph Turner
Key player: Poppy Myers
Squad: Eliza Ashby, Ayisha Balogun, Megen Cooper, Lily Exton, Mia Harvey, Jasmine King, Nyapath Machot, Poppy Myers, Elise Napier, Mica Nightingale, Willow Smith, Poppy Stevens

VICTORIA METRO

Last year: 8th
Coach: Jaysn Harvey
Key player: Sitaya Fagan
Squad: Sophie Alexander, Madeline Angus, Sitaya Fagan, Addison Knight, Taia McMechan, Daisy Nousis, Sophie Richardson, Madison Ryan, Laura Seiz, Vanessa Tavete, Imogen Trout, Matilda Trout

WESTERN AUSTRALIA COUNTRY

Last year: 9th
Coach: Fiona Hannan
Key player: Ava O’Neill
Squad: Keely Berry, Abigail Durdin, Ella Edwards, Gabriella Huddlestone, Matilda Liebregts, Charlotte Lofgren, Ava Marmion, Ashlee Monaghan, Ava O’Neill, Tatum Whalley

WESTERN AUSTRALIA METRO

Last year: 10th
Coach: Daniel Donaldson
Key player: Lara Bussell
Squad: Reece Anticevic, Ella Barmentloo, Lara Bussell, Natalie Chisi, Mikayla Deshon, Aysha Kemp, Penelope Punaivaha, Keira Reilly, Eva Smith, Paris Spencer

Originally published as 2025 Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships girls preview: SA Metro girls ‘galvanised’ for deep run