VICTORIA Metro reigned supreme at the Australian U16 Basketball Championships after eight days of competition at the Tamworth Sports Dome.
The Melbournians won both the men’s and women’s tournaments after contrasting victories over the same opponents from Queensland South in the finals on Saturday evening.
The women’s final was hard-fought with Victoria only taking the gold medals after a 63-60 nailbiter.
Brigitte O’Neill and Alexandra Sharp both scored 15 for the winners with Bridget O’Brien’s 20 the game high score, but for the losing team.
In the men’s gold medal match, the Vics were far too good, as they have been all week.
Dejan Vasiljevic shot the lights out with 24 points of his own and was ably assisted by Blake Allison (12) and Matthew Owies (11).
William McDowell-White was easly the top scorer for Queensland South with 21.
NSW Metro took bronze in the women’s after a 62-52 win over Victoria Country in which Tahlia Tupaea led the way with 16 points.
In the men’s the bronze went to Victoria Country thanks to a 61-55 success against Tasmania that featured a 19-point haul from Jack White.
The two NSW Country teams were disappointed to have been relegated to the seventh place playoffs in both divisions, but at least they won them both.
The women beat South Australia Country 61-43 with Jasmine Forcadilla’s 16 points the game’s high score.
Country then beat NSW Metro in their men’s derby, but it was a thriller.
Oliver Robilliard sank 21 points in a 69-67 win.
The tournament was a huge success for the Tamworth Basketball Association and its partners and more major basketball events could be coming to the Sports Dome in the future.
