The 2017 Australian U14 Club Championships were hosted by the Dandenong Basketball Association, from October 2nd to 7th with NSW entering five male and four female teams in this years’s National Competition.
The selection process allows for the top two teams from the Division 1 Metropolitan Junior League and Country Premier League to automatically qualify, with NSW receiving an additional spot in the boy’s competition due to the Sydney Comets winning the 2016 Australia U14 Club Championships.
This year Basketball NSW entered the following teams to the 2017 U14 Club Championships.
U14 Boys
Metro #1 – Sydney Comets
Metro #2 – Norths Bears
Country #1 – Illawarra Hawks
Country #2 – Newcastle Hunters
5th Team – Sutherland Sharks
U14 Girls
Metro #1 – Sydney Comets
Metro #2 – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Country #1 – Maitland Mustangs
Country #2 – Newcastle Hunters
After the first three days of competition, the male and female groups were then separated into a new pooling system. This seeing, the top 12 teams from the male and female groupings creating the Championship Division; with the following 12 making the Shield Division.
Basketball NSW was pleased to have two male (Sydney Comets & Illawarra Hawks), and two female (Sydney Comets & Manly Warringah Sea Eagles) teams qualify in the Championship Division. With the Sutherland Sharks, Norths Bears, Newcastle Hunters and Maitland Mustangs making the Shield Division.
The Sydney Comets boys were on the cusp of history, making back to back appearances at the Club Championship final, after successfully taking out the National Tournament at Newcastle last year. The boys put in a hard fought battle against the Eltham Wildcats, but unfortunately were unable to retain the trophy, going down 52 – 43 in the final and finishing with the Silver medal in the Championship Division.
While the Newcastle Hunter girls, were also able to secure a place in grand final against the Ballarat Rush. An intense opening quarter saw the Hunters maintain the momentum of the game, but fell away to the Ballarat side going down 58 – 25 and finishing with the Silver medal in the Shield Division.
Basketball NSW would like to congratulate all our teams who qualified for the National competition, as well as the officials who were selected.
FINAL STANDINGS
Boys
1. Eltham Wildcats
2. Sydney Comets
3. Hawthorn Magic
4. Dandenong Rangers
5. Bulleen Boomers
6. North Adelaide Rockets
7. Norwood Flames
8. Sturt Sabres
9. Illawarra Hawks
10. Cairns Marlins
11. Brisbane Capitals
12. Mackay Meteors
Shield Division
1. Willetton Tigers
2. Perry Lakes Hawks
3. Darwin Cyclones
4. Geelong Supercats
5. Sutherland Sharks
6. Canberra Capitals
7. Norths Bears
8. Rockingham Flames
9. Southern Tasmania Kangaroos
10. Newcastle Hunters
11. Northern Tasmania Tigers
12. Alice Spring Suns
Girls
1. Bulleen Boomers
2. Dandenong Rangers
3. Eltham Wildcats
4. Gold Coast Waves
5. Diamond Valley Eagles
6. Nunawading Spectres
7. Sturt Sabres
8. Sydney Comets
9. South West Metro Pirates
10. Cairns Dolphins
11. Canberra Capitals
12. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Shield Division
1. Ballarat Rush
2. Newcastle Hunters
3. Forestville Eagles
4. Southern Tigers
5. Willetton Tigers
6. North West Tasmania Devils
7. Maitland Mustangs
8. Joondalup Wolves
9. Perry Lakes Hawks
10. Southern Tasmania Kangaroos
11. Darwin Cyclones
12. Alice Spring Suns