Junior basketballers prepare to take on national championships

The under 14 boys are preparing to take to the national stage in basketball championships. Picture: KILSYTH BASKETBALL.

The Kilsyth Cobras U14-1 Boys are headed to the under 14 Australian Club Championships in September.

The Cobras punched their Nationals ticket after a blistering start to the 2022 VJBL season, which currently sees them sitting second in the Victorian Championship (VC) standings.

The U14 Club Championships features the top 24 boys and girls club teams from across Australia, with the Cobras just one of four Victorian teams to secure a berth to the prestigious tournament. This marks the third time since 2018 that the U14 Cobra Boys have earned a Club Championships invite, having competed in back-to-back tournaments in 2018-19.

This year’s Cobra group look to be serious contenders at the Championships, which will run from September 24 to 30 in Sydney. Head Coach Jamie Kupinik’s team has established itself as one of the best in the state, and impressed against interstate competition, too, having gone and impressive 5-1 at the National Junior Classic – featuring 16 of the top teams from Victoria, NSW, ACT and South Australia – in June.

The U14 Boys aren’t the only Junior Cobras set to compete at the national level: this week U16 Cobras Brylee Anderson (Vic Country Girls), Ben Shrinkfield (Vic Country Boys) and Jamie Gilchrist (Vic Metro Boys) take on the nations best at the U16 Australian Championships in Perth. You can watch all games live on the Basketball Australia Youtube channel, with select games to be shown on Kayo Freebies.