Victoria’s Sitaya Fagan, Madison Ryan lead Basketball Australia U18 Nationals girls teams of the tournament

Two Victorian stars, a pair of Queenslanders and an SA unique SA talent form the U18 Nationals first team. See the full all-tournament teams and stats leaders.

The finest teen basketball talent in Australia was on show at the 2025 National Championships in Brisbane last week.

Michael Randall runs his eye over the most impressive women at the Nationals as a number of potential future Opals made their mark.

Plus, see the stat leaders at the tournament.

WATCH REPLAYS OF EVERY NATIONALS MATCH

U18 GIRLS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Taryn Bond, G, Qld North

15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.4 steals

Mya Moke, G, Qld South

15 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.3 steals

Madison Ryan, F, Vic Metro

10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.3 steals

Keira Gardiner, F, SA Metro

15.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals

Sitaya Fagan, C, Vic Metro

13.4 points, 6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.8 steals, 1.25 blocks

Sitaya Fagan. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

Madison Ryan. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

The gold medal standouts of Vic Metro’s unconquerable squad lead the way for the 2025 U18 Nationals All-Tournament First Team with grand final heroine Madison Ryan and elite tall Sitaya Fagan. Ryan was all-impact, top-5 in assists and steals as she stood up for the Vics when it mattered most, dominating SA Metro in the decider with 22 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 6 steals on an ultra-efficient 8-12 from the field. Teammate Fagan might just be the highest-potential talent in her age group, a superior athlete with very few weaknesses in her game who showed why she has almost every top end NCAA Division I college clamouring for her commitment. SA Metro’s do-it-all forward Keira Gardiner is one of the age group’s best, her length, smarts and toughness a handful for opponents as she took her team all the way to the gold medal game. Queensland state rival guards Taryn Bond and Mya Moke make up the back court. Bond continued to emerge, following in older sister Teyahna’s footsteps as an uncompromising two-way force, while injuries in the Queensland South ranks thrust a huge amount of responsibility on Moke’s shoulders and she handled it with aplomb, leading the tournament in assists.

SECOND TEAM

Annaliese Elliott, G, SA Metro

11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists

Daisy Nousis, G, Vic Metro

12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.4 steals

Aspen Crase, F, SA Metro

11.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals

Rebecca Donnelly, F, NSW Metro

14.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.9 steals

Jovana Ilic, C, Qld South

16.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.8 blocks

Rebecca Donnelly in action for NSW Metro. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

The taller half of Queensland South’s dynamic guard-centre duo, Jovana Ilic put up one of the best lines in Brisbane, using her size and skill to lead the entire tournament in scoring, while forcing opponents to think twice whenever they entered the paint. SA Metro's Annaliese Elliott led from the front for the silver medallists, while blue chip teammate Aspen Crase — coming off a three-week concussion-enforced lay-off — remains one of the better athletes in the age group. Crase’s toughness is something to behold, she just does not get beaten on the glass or in one-on-one physical contests. Love the offensive potential of Rebecca Donnelly, a pure scorer whose jumpshot is among the most aesthetically pleasing in the age group. Her ability to tick the scoreboard over for the defensive-minded bronze medallists was key. Vic Metro’s Daisy Nousis was one of the best slashers at the tournament. She made defenders look like parking cones when she put it on the floor and her ability to finish in traffic is going to take her a long way in basketball.

Aspen Crase. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

THIRD TEAM

Sienna Clark, G, NSW Metro

8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.9 steals

Taia McMechan, G, Vic Metro

7.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.3 steals

Isabel Smith, F, Qld North

15 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals

Kira Juffermans, F, NSW Country

15.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals

Olivia Hastings, C, NSW Metro

11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds

Queensland North’s junior international Isabel Smith could have easily been in the second team and it was abundantly clear she is one of the best young talents in the country. The dynamic leftie is so composed and so smooth, her decision-making a cut above. Loved how NSW Country tall Kira Juffermans fought back from a rough start to the tournament to produce a number of absolutely dominant performances. The younger sister of two-time U20 Nationals MVP Isla Juffermans is emerging as every bit the player her big sister is and eyes will be on her as she levels up next year. Juffermans’ Metro counterpart Olivia Hastings was a double-double machine who left no doubt as to why she is a regular junior international as one of the tournament’s most imposing centres. Her telescopic arms regularly left opponents catching nothing but air as she reeled in rebound after rebound. In such a loaded Vic Metro team, players had to sacrifice and gun guard Taia McMechan made it her priority to keep her ultra-talented teammates involved, while wearing her opponents like a glove. NSW Metro’s Sienna Clark’s rebounding was a feature, while her ability to read the play ahead gave her plenty of opportunities to get in the passing lanes and get out on the break.

FOURTH TEAM

Daisy Hocking, G, SA Country

12.3 points, 7.6 rebound, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals

Sarah Warner, G, SA Metro

9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.4 steals

Mica Nightingale, F, Vic Country

11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals

Bailie Wickham, F, Tasmania

14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.9 steals

Ella Barmentloo, C, WA Metro

11 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks

Like McMechan for Vic Metro, Sarah Warner was only too willing to sacrifice her game to benefit her team and was a big reason why SA Metro made it all the way to the gold medal decider. Country counterpart Daisy Hocking was the clear standout for a squad that looked to the Strathalbyn starlet for both leadership and production. In a tournament that was quietly stacked with tall talent, Ella Barmentloo took out the Nationals’ best defensive player, sending away over one block per game while averaging a double-double for WA Metro. Just as Barmentloo set the defensive example, so too did Mica Nightingale for Vic Country on its way to a top-four finish. Similarly to second-teamer Rebecca Donnelly, Bailie Wickham really impressed with her offensive versatility for Tasmania. Long and strong, Wickham held her own for the Apple Isle.

FIFTH TEAM

Cheyenne Bobongie, G, Qld North

9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals

Mia Harvey, G, Vic Country

7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists

Nikki Parker, F, Tasmania

12.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 1 block

Ava Tawake, F, ACT

12.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.4 steals

Andie Smith, C, Tasmania

11 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 3.3 blocks

Andie Smith. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw.

The numbers don’t tell the story for Mia Harvey, who was the go-to girl for Vic Country when a clutch shot needed to be made. The Bendigo product was also among the best defenders in the entire tournament, punctuated by a stunning shutdown job on first teamer Taryn Bond in a narrow win over Queensland North. Bond’s long-time nationals running mate Cheyenne Bobongie contributed in a multitude of ways while Ava Tawake played a bit of a lone hand for ACT. Tawake plays a lot taller than she is and really came of age at this tournament, averaging a double-double. Nikki Parker’s shooting ability stood out for Tasmania, while her towering teammate Andie Smith would have been a lot higher, had she not hurt her ankle mid-tournament and been restricted to just four games. The sister of Opals star Alanna Smith had a double-double in all four of those games and blocked a ridiculous 13 shots to underline the rapid development that has put at the forefront of the country’s young centre prospects.

U18 GIRLS STAT LEADERS

POINTS

J Ilic, QLD South, 16.38

K Juffermans, NSW Country, 15.86

K Gardiner, SA Metro, 15.38

T Bond, QLD North, 15.25

I Smith, QLD North, 15

REBOUNDS

L Exton, Vic Country, 11.75

A Tawake, ACT, 11.71

K Juffermans, NSW Country, 11.71

A Monaghan, WA Country, 11

E Barmentloo, WA Metro, 10.62

Mya Moke in action for Queensland South. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

ASSISTS

M Moke, QLD South, 4.25

T Mcmechan, Vic Metro, 4.12

C Bobongie, QLD North, 4

M Ryan, Vic Metro, 3.38

P Chopping, Tasmania, 3.38

STEALS

T Bond, QLD North, 3.38

M Ryan, Vic Metro, 3.25

S Clark, NSW Metro, 2.88

T Whalley, WA Country, 2.86

S Fagan, Vic Metro, 2.75

3PM

O Brankovic, ACT, 23

B Wickham, Tasmania, 20

M Moke, QLD South, 17

R Donnelly, NSW Metro, 16

S Warner, SA Metro, 15

Originally published as Victoria’s Sitaya Fagan, Madison Ryan lead Basketball Australia U18 Nationals girls teams of the tournament