YOUNG hoopers in six teams represented Swan Hill at the Bendigo Basketball Association’s Junior Classic last weekend.
The Junior Flyers played in boys’ and girls’ divisions from under-12 to under-16.
Taking on some of the best junior players from around the state, the under-12 and under-14 girls were entered into the Championship Division.
Undefeated in their first five tournament play games, the under-12 girls were rampant on their way to the grand final but fell just short of victory in the big game.
Mia Hirst and Stella Scott each scored nine points as the girls fell to a narrow 32-27 loss at the hands of the Warrnambool Mermaids.
The under-12 boys showed their might in Division 2 pool games, producing big wins against Sunbury, Colac, Horsham and Geelong, before a 24-point win in the quarter-final against Wangaratta.
Their run was ended by a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Echuca Pirates in the semi-final.
Deacon Roberts starred for the Flyers with 14 points in that game, while Lucas Pay scored nine, against the team that went on to win the final.
Swan Hill’s under-14 girls played their hearts out in some nail-biting Championship Division finishes.
After losing to the Hamilton Hurricanes, they rebounded for a one-point win over Bacchus Marsh and then tied the Wodonga Wolves.
The under-14 boys were unlucky to not play finals, winning all but one of their pool games, to eventual Division 2 champions Ballarat Miners 2.
In the under-16 boys, Julian Muir top-scored for Division 2 with 95 points, helping lead his side to the semi-final.
They fell two points short of the Warrnambool Seahawks as Murndarr McInnes scored 10 points.
Swan Hill had another top scorer in the under-16 Division 2 girls, where Scarlet Grey shared the honours with 63 points.
Her team finished runners-up, losing just two games to a single opponent, eventual winners Colac Kookas Green.
A seven-point win against Echuca in the semi-final led to a must-watch final, won by the Kookas 30-28.
The Junior Flyers will next travel to compete in Wodonga Basketball’s Junior Invitational Tournament from Friday to Sunday next week.
