Live stream: Penrith Panthers ready to make impression at 2024 Basketball Australia U14 Club Championships

They may have left their nationals run to the last minute, but try telling Penrith they don’t have a chance in Melbourne. See all the action from the U14 Club Championships LIVE starting Sunday.

Two weeks out from the end of the Junior Premier League season and qualification for the Basketball Australia U14 Club Championships looked an extremely tall order for the Penrith Panthers boys side.

But victory in their final game - and a few other results going their way - allowed them to slip into the top four and now they are off to Melbourne, alongside the club’s U14 girls team.

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Coaching director Bernie Slattery said it’s an opportunity they intend to grab with both hands.

Catch every game of the six-day junior showpiece event LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV from Casey Basketball Stadium in Melbourne’s south east suburbs.

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“They’ll be coming up against the best in Australia,” Slattery said.

“They’ll pick up new things as they play and I’m a firm believer that kids who do well at this event are quite often representing NSW two years later.”

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Slattery said it was pure elation when they found out they qualified.

“Logic had told them it wasn’t really possible with two weeks to go,” Slattery said.

Penrith Panthers are a chance in Melbourne

“And then when it became true, they were bouncing up and down.

“The adults knew this meant a very expensive trip coming up, but we’ve had amazing fundraising work done by all the families, kids and coaches to make this happen.”

The girls team have been one of the form teams all year, finishing first at the end of the regular season before falling to Central Coast Rebels by two points in the grand final.

“That (grand final) was a really tough game,” Slattery said.

“They had a poor start to the game and though they controlled the last two quarters, they were unlucky and didn’t quite get there.

“But they’ve done their best and they now look their best since then.

“They were leading the NSW teams at the Junior Classic back in June and they’ve improved along the lines of expectation we’ve had for them.”

Penrith girls have had an outstanding season.

Slattery said that sending two teams to nationals is a testament to the culture and work ethic the club prides itself on.

“I believe our club system within the association is quite strong,” he said.

“I also think we’ve had great coaches over the past three or four years, even at the lower end of our program.

“We’ve got younger teams coming up and it’s entirely possible that we could go again next year.”

Originally published as Live stream: Penrith Panthers ready to make impression at 2024 Basketball Australia U14 Club Championships