THE Limestone Coast will again be well represented when two talented basketballers – Emily Close and Bella Stratford – represent the region at the National Under 20 championships.
Close and Stratford, who both represented Basketball Mount Gambier and SA Country through all junior age groups, have been selected in the SA Under 20 team to compete in the national championships in Canberra during the week of February 5 to 9.
South East Basketball League players Matt Black and Mitchell Hunter have been named as reserves for the men’s 2020 state team.
Stratford is an outstanding athlete, who excelled in cricket as well as basketball as a junior.
As an Under 16 player she chose to follow her sporting career in basketball and from then on has built a reputation of working hard and being relentless in her commitment to achieve success at the elite level.
Her move to Immanuel College enabled her to train and play at the highest levels offered in the state.
She played for Eastern Mavericks, then Southern Tigers in the District competition and this year suited up in the 2018/19 Tigers Premier League team.
Stratford now represents WNBL team Bendigo Spring as a development player.
Opportunities continue to unfold and she has been offered a place at a Division 1 college in California, USA next year.
Close’s achievement of gaining selection as a first-year player in this age group reflects her exceptional athletic ability and unobtrusive, but determined application to achieve success in her sporting pursuits.
Close realised to achieve her aims she needed to move to a city college, Westminster, in order to further develop as a basketballer and netballer.
She completed her outstanding career in SA Country Basketball as captain of the Under 18 girls team which competed in the nationals in April this year.
She is currently a key player for the strong district club, Sturt.
The Under 20 National Championships sees the best basketball talent in his age group in Australia represent their states and Territories.
They also serve as an opportunity for all players to experience the training and live-in facilities of the Centre of Excellence in the Australian Institute of Sport.
