The Louise Taylor-managed basketball side, playing at Sutherland,  lost its first game to Hunter Valley 55-42, fell to North Coast 67-38 in a physical game and then lost to Sydney North 99-62 in its final match yesterday.

“They were three hard games,”  Taylor said.

“The boys tried their hearts out.”

She said they stayed close to Hunter in their first game but were playing their first game together.

“We threw a few passes away,” she said.

“The North Coast game was very physical. There were a lot of fouls. 

“And in the last game Sydney North was just too good. 

“The boys were just starting to find their feet.”

She said skipper Harley Cox was outstanding all day, the Walcha student excelling, while Quirindi’s Andrew de Roos also excelled. Jayden Pryer (Oxley) and Ben Batistuzzi (Tenterfield) also worked hard.

At Minto the girls’  volleyball side began its State Carnival with losses to Hunter, Western and Sydney West, manager Jess Walmsley said.

NW lost to Hunter 25-9 and 25-12, fell to Western 25-17 and 25-13 and then finished the day with defeat against Sydney West 25-12 and 25-4.

“It was a tough start,”  Walmsley said.

Glen Innes’s Gabi Willis and Quirindi’s Britnee Hyde were best for a NW side which has another busy day against Sydney East, North Coast and Sydney South West today.