The National Junior Classic (NJC) is back for 2024 this June and we can’t wait to welcome the best of the best from across the nation to the new State Basketball Centre and Dandenong Stadium here in Victoria.
The NJC is an invitational tournament for age groups Under 12 to Under 18, both male and female divisions. The top teams are invited to compete in the prestigious tournament traditionally held over the Kings Birthday weekend (June 8 – 10) across two venues and 16 courts, all hoping to be crowned the Classic Champions in their age group division.
The NJC tournament has been going since 1977 and is the pinnacle event for elite junior representative teams from across the nation; including teams from the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. Teams are invited based on performance in select tournaments and leagues in the first half of the calendar year, ensuring only the best teams are competing to offer the best basketball on the court throughout the weekend.
In 2024 we are excited to invite some new associations to the tournament, including Under 12 Junior Country Champions, Swan Hill. The Swan Hill Under 12 girls' team broke a 40-year drought as they won Division 1 at the Junior Country Championships (JCC) in April earning them a coveted spot in this year's NJC’s.
It’s a good news story for this association from the north of the state. The last time Swan Hill won a Division 1 title in the Under 12 girls at a Junior Country Championship was in 1983. The Swan Hill Flyers team capped off a record breaking summer, where they won 36 of their 38 matches at junior tournaments around country Victoria, with only one loss and one draw. Head coach for the team, Tess Denham coached both the Under 12 Division 1 and the Under 12 Division 2 Girls (at JCC’s) for the Swan Hill Flyers with the aim to really focus on building a good base for our junior females. The association focused on re-building their girls program, going from only three athletes last season, to entering two girl's teams in the 2024 JCC’s. With a focus on developing a strong foundation, it is clear they have already established depth coupled with determination and this has been rewarded with an invited to this year’s NJC tournament in Victoria.
Denham is excited to take her team to the NJC’s, “Going to the National Junior Classic is huge for Swan Hill, we are not a big association so for Swan Hill Basketball that does not play representative level all year round, to get this opportunity is outstanding. The team and families are extremely excited to see a different level of basketball. The girls have dedicated so much time and effort into their development and cannot wait to see how we go at the next big challenge!”
The full NJC schedule and teams attending will be announced in the coming weeks.
More information regarding the 2024 National Junior Classic, including merchandise, ticketing, livestreams and more will be made available here.
