MOUNT Gambier’s Junior Lakers sides have been training hard to prepare for this weekend’s 2018 SA Country Junior Basketball Championships in Adelaide.
A total of 197 teams from the country areas of South Australia, including Broken Hill and Mildura will compete in the 29 divisions to vie for the title in their respective grades.
A chance in schedule will see the Under 12, 14 and 16 championships played over the long weekend.
The grand final winners will be decided on Monday after minor round games on both Saturday and Sunday.
Mount Gambier will have 13 junior Lakers sides travelling to Adelaide for the country championships.
A tough nine-team competition will test the Under 12 Division 1 boys, while the girls – coached by Dan Collins – will be determined for consistent performances in their eight-side division.
The Lakers’ Under 14 Girls – coached Sharon Adams – and Under 14 Boys have enjoyed multiple tournaments wins so far this season and are both genuine contenders for the 2018 Division 1 titles.
Tournament results from throughout the country areas suggest the Lakers Under 16 Division 1 Boys – under the guidance of Dan Stratford – will meet their stiffest opposition from Eastern Hills and Great Southern.
State coach, Bryan Green, who also holds the reins of the Lakers’ Under 16 Girls Division 1 players believes his side’s tough competition will come from Millicent, Yorke Valley and Eastern Hills.
Other Junior Lakers teams competing in the Championships are Under 12 Boys Division 2 (coach Michael Stephens), Under 14 Boys Division 2 (Jason Baron), Under 14 Boys Division 3 (Kane deWit), Under 14 Girls Division 2 (Felicity Clayton), Under 16 Boys Division 2 (Nick Thomas), Under 16 Boys Division 3 (Gavin Male) and Under 16 Girls Division 2 (Casey Horrigan).
Meanwhile, most of the Lakers had their final hit out at the Naracoorte Junior Tournament last weekend.
The Lakers Under 12 Boys Division 1 side – coached by Ben Brumby – finished the weekend on a good note, defeating Millicent 46-41 in the grand final, while the Under 14 Division 1 side also impressed their coach Robbie Young with a comfortable 45-24 grand final victory over Portland.
The Under 14 Division 2 Boys have improved come the pointy end of the season, earning their first title of the season with a three-point victory over Portland under the guidance of Jason Baron.
Both the Under 16 Boys and Under 16 Girls Division 2 sides did well over the weekend.
The boys lost to Naracoorte’s Division 1 side in the grand final, while the girls went down to Casterton in the major game.
The Lakers’ Under 18 Girls Division 2 team finished the season with a pleasing performance, losing the final to Naracoorte’s Division 1 team.
