EAST COAST CHALLENGE

The East Coast Challenge (ECC) was a concept which was originally set up by Basketball NSW and Basketball Victoria for metropolitan athletes at the U16 and U18 level to compete in a round robin style tournament in Sydney.

7th-9th January 2026 @ Penrith

East Coast Challenge

In January eight NSW Metropolitan teams (two U16 Boys’ & Girls’ teams and two U18 Boys’ & Girls’ teams) play against teams from each of the other states.

The U16 teams are selected from the NSW Metropolitan selection camps while the U18 teams consist of the final 20 athletes that remain in the NSW Metropolitan U18 State Team selection process for the upcoming Australian Junior Championships.

Due to the success of the tournament in recent years both South Australia and ACT have joined.

The ECC is a unique development opportunity as it takes athletes away from their comfort zone by exposing them to state and national level talented athletes & teams. It aims to create positive challenges for players as they need to become accustomed to the standard of play required to compete at an Australian Junior Championship.

2026
Dates: 7th – 9th January
Venue: Penrith

2026 Athlete Selection

Metro U18 Girls

First Name Surname Association
Georgina Akol Bankstown Bruins
Sasha Clague Norths Bears
Tessa Fagan Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Alicia Fevre Hills Hornets
Adelaide Filemu Bankstown Bruins
Sienna Fishpool Norths Bears
Lani Gremmo Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Caitlyn Grima Hills Hornets
Desiree Lin Sydney Comets
Emma Lukell Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Izabella Mansory Norths Bears
Summer Paki Hills Hornets
Emma Rojas Penrith Panthers
Marley Sialeipata Sydney Comets
Peyton Skinner Hills Hornets
Kayla Strachan Hills Hornets
Maple Strong Hills Hornets
Angela Tako Penrith Panthers
Victoria Veleski Sutherland Sharks
Ndeye Lika Wade Bankstown Bruins
2026 Athlete Selection

Metro U18 Boys

First Name Surname Association
Obi Adler Norths Bears
Ratu Baldwin Bankstown Bruins
Benjamin Barnett Norths Bears
Antonio Browne Bankstown Bruins
Cooper Hanson Norths Bears
Eoin Isaako Bankstown Bruins
Emin Joldic Norths Bears
Archie Lucas Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Alexander Lukell Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders
Riley McNulty Penrith Panthers
Samuel O’Donnell Norths Bears
Henry O’Neil Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders
Oluwakorede Olutayo Sydney Comets
Will Rintoul Sydney Comets
Jasper Rock Sydney Comets
August Straker Penrith Panthers
Kingston Tutani Bankstown Bruins
Max Venardos Bankstown Bruins
Micah Watson Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Marley Wilczek Sydney Comets
2026 Athlete Selection

Metro U16 Girls

First Name Surname Association
Milica Alavanja Bankstown Bruins
Chloe Baffo Penrith Panthers
Maya Collisson Penrith Panthers
Sophie Connor Bankstown Bruins
Amaali Gordon-Roqica Sydney Comets
Jacqueline Ibarburu Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Khadijah Kalananda Bankstown Bruins
Portia Kearney Hills Hornets
Emma Klarenaar Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Tyra Lee-Hang Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Sienna Livermore Norths Bears
Azaria Maua Bankstown Bruins
Isabelle McCullagh Norths Bears
Holly Mitchell Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders
Ella Pearson Penrith Panthers
Ruby Prasad Bankstown Bruins
Kymeesha Shillingsworth Sydney Comets
Zoe Sonkol-Mourtzakis Bankstown Bruins
Olive Waters Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Eliza Wilson Sutherland Sharks
2026 Athlete Selection

Metro U16 Boys

First Name Surname Association
Lucas Ajaka Norths Bears
Hunter Capulong Bankstown Bruins
Uriel Clarke Norths Bears
Logan Coleman Penrith Panthers
Jordan Gao Norths Bears
Ethan Henderson Penrith Panthers
Eli Horsfield Bankstown Bruins
Jayden Janto Bankstown Bruins
Jeremy Lenthen Norths Bears
Shuya Li Bankstown Bruins
Kayden McReynolds Hills Hornets
Harlan Meany Norths Bears
Nicholas Mendelevitz Hills Hornets
Thomas Moloney Norths Bears
Thomas Moncrieff Norths Bears
Jacob Onyema Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders
Josiah Owiti Hills Hornets
Jeremy Susanto Sydney Comets
Stephen Tem Hills Hornets
Coen Watson Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

BASKETBALL NSW DREAM HOOPS 1000