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Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup: Meet Tassie young stars

Tasmania’s best young basketballers are set to test themselves on the national stage in two huge tournaments this week. Meet the young guns representing the state.

Khobe Speed will be one of the young stars on display. Picture: Linda Higginson
Khobe Speed will be one of the young stars on display. Picture: Linda Higginson

Basketball Tasmania basketball development manager Nic Martin says this month is the perfect platform for the state’s talent to blossom.

Starting on Tuesday, the state will send some of its best junior talents to Victoria for high level competitions against the best players from across Australia.

It will all start with the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup where more than 600 junior players will be in action.

KommunityTV is set to live stream matches from two courts across all five days of the tournament and will be available on The Mercury website.

There will be 12 Tassie teams in action throughout the under-14 to 18 boys and girls competition.

“Our focus for these January tournaments is probably twofold,” Martin said.

“The first part is, it’s all about development and getting experience to play some pretty high level games play against some tough opposition.

“That’s a good thing because the more we do it, it can help set up athletes for future tournaments like National Championships for example.

“The second part is all about the fun and enjoyment. There’s the on court component of developing these players but we want the kids to enjoy themselves.

“They’re going away with their mates and playing basketball, it’s a fantastic experience on and off the court.”

Martin said one of the key goals for this week’s tournament will be ensuring players get as much opportunity as possible.

“Our KPIs are generally wins and losses.

“It’s more about how do the groups track and how do they progress throughout the week.

“It’s important for us to get exposure for our players. Each region of the state is represented strongly.”

Tasmania will also send two under-15 teams to the Southern Cross Challenge starting later this week.

The tournament involves some of the brightest young talents from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland in Melbourne.

SELECTED SQUADS

U14 Boys Tasmania Devils

Head coach: James Nadler

Manager: Adam Morrison

Tage Barr

William Belcher

Jake Chivers

Nate Costello

William Hortle

Zachary Kooistra

Archie McGregor

Mason McKellar

Lachlan Vince

Nixon Weily

U14 Boys Tasmania Tigers

Head coach: Matt Sturzaker

Manager: Aaron Davey

Chase Bramich

Baxter Crombie

Vincent Davey

Albie de Gooyer

Wyl Garwood

Ira Radford

Lennon Reynolds-Hamisi

Que Sturzaker

Cruize Taylor

Tex Walkers

U14 Girls Tasmania Devils

Head coach: Shak Bone

Manager: Mel Scharvi

Ellisa Aleksa

Evie Baker

Milla Blyth

Marli Horton

Charli Jarman

Maya Mitchell

Sophia Peebles

Bethany Scharvi

Maddison Smith

Jaga Thorp

U14 Girls Tasmania Tigers

Head coach: Christine Rumley

Manager: Jan Curran

Mackayla Cornish

Lucy Curran

Eliza Davie

Indi Dodd

Milla Finch

Mackenzie Grainger

Shayli John

Macy Poke

Tayla Smith

Isabel Williamson

U16 Boys Tasmania Devils

Head coach: Sam Pulford

Manager: Stacey Benson

Nash Benson

Jye Cobbing

Thomas Davie

Johnty Dynan

Darcy Hickey

Ryan Lamprey

Jonathan Lenga

Floyd Luttrell

Noah Philpott

Khobe Speed

U16 Boys Tasmania Tigers

Head coach: Jason Baker

Manager: Suzanne Chapple

Cooper Baker

Oscar Blyth

Ethan Chapple

Harry Evans

Cale Hammersley

Hugh Murray

Kasper Plummer

Riley Powell

Cooper Smith

Kaelan Thomas

U16 Boys Tasmania Tigers 

Head coach: Jason Baker

Manager: Suzanne Chapple

Cooper Baker

Oscar Blyth

Ethan Chapple

Harry Evans

Cale Hammersley

Hugh Murray

Kasper Plummer

Riley Powell

Cooper Smith

Kaelan Thomas

U16 Girls Tasmania Tigers 

Head coach: Ben Neate

Manager: Shellie Wilton

Willow Farr

Stephanie Gardner

Amy Glover

Elliot Jordan-Gossage

Brydee McPherson

Layla Oliver

Elizabeth Rumley

Lacey Webb

Aloka William

Jewel Wynwood

U18 Boys Tasmania Devils

Head coach: Stu Rattray

Manager: Sonia Ling

Ajay Blizzard

Connor Byers

Joshua Donato

Alex Lamprey

Mason Ling

Jordan Powell

Ryan De Bomford

Tom Ryan

Dexter Upton

Hamish van de Kamp

U18 Boys Tasmania Tigers

Head coach: Rhys Crennan

Manager: Caleb Turale

Nash Armstrong

Harry Blyth

Declan Cock

Jay Jordan-Gossage

Luke McCoy

Sam Percival

Oscar Richards

Jack Smith

Oscar Turale

Campbell Waterhouse

U18 Girls Tasmania Devils 

Head coach:Rushton Upton

Manager: Teagan Walkley

Inika Barnes

Harriet Close

Maya Davies

Isobel Geard

Zoe Walkley

Matilda Neate

Nikki Parker

Chloe Waldron

Bailie Wickham

Alinta Wilson

U18 Girls Tasmania Tigers

Head coach: Dane Williams

Manager: Sarah Quarrell

Portia Chopping

Olivia Gardner

Keona Hayes

Ella Lee

Lucy Walker

Chelsea Quarrell

Sophie Ryan

Eva Schulze

Jasmine Graham

Kirra Munns

SOUTHERN CROSS CHALLENGE TEAMS

U15 Boys Tasmania Kangaroos

Head coach: Daniel Jenson

Assistant coach: Ben Pugh

Manager: Brooke Williams

Hudson Bain

Greyson Boxhall

Austen Freeland

Wade Groom

Sullivan McQuestin

Colby Prewer

Oliver Rolls

Aston Thomas-Buckley

Noah Walker

Pacey Williams

U15 Girls Tasmania Kangaroos

Head coach: Rebecca Triffett

Assistant coach: Chloe Heather

Manager: Malinda Embrey

Eliza Boucher

Clementine Dell

Abbie Hanson

Violett Hughes

Bronte Krapf

Ever McGaffin

Chloe Neate

Halo Schulz

Ellie Schulze

Lily Tomlin

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/australian-country-junior-basketball-cup-meet-tassie-young-stars/news-story/5b07a8dc59ce2f1aef4da7528e6f26a2