As a prelude to the inaugural HoopsFest, commencing on Tuesday, September 17 in Perth, the Foot Locker Under 18 Club Championships will highlight the future stars of basketball from across the country. Forty teams from around Australia will compete at HBF Arena in Joondalup to take home the title of Under 18 Club Champions.
Seven teams have been selected to represent Victoria and their associations at the upcoming tournament, following their performances during the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) championship season. Victoria will be sending four men's teams and three women's teams, making the trip across the Nullarbor to compete for the crown.
The Under 18 Club Championships have been added to the national junior basketball calendar this year, providing club-level teams with the opportunity to compete and elevate their game against tough competition from across the country. It is similar to the Under 14 National Club Championships hosted by Basketball Australia and held annually in Victoria. The Club Championship differs from the Foot Locker National Championships (NC), which sees each state showcasing their top junior athletes. In contrast, the Under 18 Club Championships offer club level teams the chance to compete against the best teams from across Australia.
Greg Jeffers, General Manager of Leagues and Competitions, Basketball Victoria, eagerly anticipates watching the young athletes on the national stage. “The opportunity for players and coaches to represent their associations on the national stage is always an exciting proposition. We are thrilled to see Victorian teams attending HoopsFest 2024 and congratulate those teams that qualified,” said Jeffers.
The qualifying Victorian teams include four men’s teams from the Dandenong Rangers, Frankston Blues, Knox Raiders, and Diamond Valley Eagles , who finished first to fourth respectively in this year’s National Junior Classic (NJC) tournament. In the women’s competition, 2024 Under 18 NJC Champions, the Melbourne Tigers, will compete alongside teams from Sandringham Sabres and Keilor Thunder .
Sandringham Sabres Head Coach, Sally Burke, expressed her pride in her team's invitation. “We are incredibly proud and excited to be a part of the first Under 18 Club Championships. It is well-deserved recognition for all the hard work the girls have put into this season. They are very excited to compete against the best in the country and to represent Sandringham Sabres,” said Burke.
The Foot Locker Under 18 Club Championships will provide young athletes with the invaluable experience of competing on the national stage with their teammates from their VJBL teams. David Quinn, Head Coach Diamond Valley men’s team knows how exciting it is going to be for his team to experience competing on the national stage, “When this tournament was announced, the boys had set a goal to qualify for it and experience the new concept of HoopsFest. We are so thankful and excited by the opportunity to compete against Australia’s best teams and be involved in a week of elite junior and professional basketball, coinciding with the NBL/WNBL.” Quinn explains what it means for his young team to be invited to go and how hard his team fought to get there, “This group is a great group of young men who have done a terrific job representing Diamond Valley over many years, with most of the team beginning with club basketball in Under 12’s or Under 14’s. They’ve battled hard this season through significant adversity to make it. This will no doubt be an experience the boys will remember for a long time!”
The Foot Locker Under 18 Club Championships is shaping up to be a thrilling showcase of talent, setting the stage for an exciting HoopsFest and upcoming NBL and WNBL seasons. Following the Foot Locker Under 18 Club Championships, the 2024/25 Hungry Jack's NBL season starts on September 19 with a championship series rematch between Melbourne United and the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers at RAC Arena. The event will continue with a full round of NBL games and a showcase tournament for the 2024/2025 Cygnett WNBL. With eight games across the weekend, it will mark the first official appearance of the new Cygnett WNBL franchise, Geelong United.
For more information about the Under 18 Club Championships and HoopsFest, click below.
