NSW Basketball celebrate golden run at U18 AJC & KCC

The Under 18 Metropolitan Men and Women both won gold medals at the 2012 National Championship held last week in Perth rewriting the history books as this is the first time since the inception of the tournament both the Metro Men and Women teams have taken out the gold medal at the same event.

For the women’s team this was the first gold medal won by a NSW metro team at a under 18 National Championship defeating Queensland South 65 – 52 which was a remarkable achievement  after previously finishing in 9th position at the 2011 tournament.   

The men defeated Victoria Metro 56 – 55 giving them the trifecta after previously winning gold in  2010 and 2011 again creating history as never before has a NSW metro team won three consecutive  gold medals at the U18 Championship.

The gold rush didn’t stop there as the NSW Wheelchair Basketball team took out the gold in the  Kevin Coombs Cup defeating Western Australia 73 – 40 giving NSW a clean sweep.  

BNSW Chief Executive Danny Martinez was full of praise for all players and coaching staff saying “BNSW and its members should be proud of the achievements of these NSW teams, what they have  accomplished is something special and a just reward for the hard work and commitment they have  shown” he concluded.

In the other play off games NSW Country Women who were most unlucky not to be playing in the  medal rounds were defeated 52 – 49 by Vic Country finishing 6th and the Country Boys were  defeated by ACT 72 – 61 finishing in 8th position.     

TEAM MEMBERS:
Men: Sukhman Bhinder, Nicholas Duncan, Mirko Djeric, Geoffrey Gerlach, Michael Healy,  Fabijan Krslovic, Clae Martin, Gerard Martin, Daniel Pitcher, Siatua Solaese, Head Coach Mark  Watkins, Ass. Coach Adrian Dark, Curtis Sardi, Manager Christine Gold
Women:  Lauren Breen, Madeleine Cox, Megan Cantellano, Alex Delaney, Alliyah Fareo, Vanessa  Panousis, Emily Potts, Rhiannon Pope, Louise Saggers, Brittnee Sewell, Head Coach Justin Brayley, Ass Coach Annie LaFleur, Jarrod Greedy, Manager Daphne Nikitianos
Wheelchair: Mikaela Dingley, Brad Fisher, Brad Gilbert, Clarence John Grogan, Maxwell Illingworth, Craig Jarrett, Tim Markcrow, Josh Meoli, David Moreira, Jessica Pellow, Head Coach Paul Auprince, Manager Linda Ross