TAMWORTH Under 14 Boys’ Thunderbolt basketball side will chase not only Country Premier League (CPL) and State Championship titles later this year but will also have a national championship in Perth to play in at the end of next month.
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And their coach, Neil Wood, believes his side has the ability to go all the way and win the Australian Club Championships in Perth from September 28 to October 3.
“I’m so confident about them,” Wood said this week.
“They have everything to play for and nothing to lose.”
They become the second Tamworth junior side to have made the Australian Club Championships, following on from last year’s marvellous run by Greg O’Toole’s Under 14 girls’ side.
They were the first Tamworth side to play in the CPL and make those nationals.
This year, Wood and his outstanding side are one of five Tamworth junior teams playing in the CPL.
On the weekend, his side guaranteed a trip to Perth by winning three of their final four CPL games to finish equal second to the Western Reds.
As the Western Reds are a composite side, they are ineligible to play in the nationals, leaving Tamworth and the Gosford City Waves to fly the flag for the CPL.
Gosford beat Tamworth by five points last Saturday morning in their CPL clash too, 49-44, but Wood puts that down to the early starting time and nerves.
“They struggled to get into that game,” he said.
“I’m not too concerned.
“They knew what they had to do on the weekend to qualify for the nationals but got a bit nervous.”
They bounced back well though to beat Southern Blues 50-31, Newcastle Hunters 61-26 and Maitland Mustangs 84-42 and secure the national berth.
Wood believes they will only continue to improve.
“They were really dominant wins. We dictated the game and played the way we wanted to play.”
That game is an evolving one.
His side has speed to play a fast-breaking game but also height and strength to play with patience and build into the plays.
“They can slow it down too. If we play like that we can match it with anyone.”
Their first test comes on August 15 when they play Newcastle Hunters in a CPL semi-final.
Win that and they play the loser of the Gosford/Western Reds the next day in the CPL final.
From that, they then go to the State Championships and ultimately the National Club Championships.
The young players have already won a Country Championship and have it all in front of them.
A major sponsor would also help, Wood said.
Travelling to Perth is a costly exercise and adding a sponsor to the Thunderbolt game plan would ensure an even better chance of national success.