Karratha basketballers draw attention at Country Champs

The Karratha Basketball Association impressed at their third Basketball WA Country Championships in Perth.

The championships took place over four weekends from Saturday, February 9-Monday, March 4, with six of the 10 teams sent by KBA making it to the grand final and three taking it all the way.

Over the past three years KBA has grown from 350 children to almost 1000, and vice-president Clayton McIntosh said Basketball WA now had to look at Karratha as a serious contender.

“We’re taking on the likes of Bunbury and Geraldton, it’s very competitive but we’re starting to break through because we’ve got kids that are so talented,” he said.

During the competition, the boys’ under-12 and girls’ under-12 and under-14 sides made it to the grand final, while the girls’ and boys’ under-13 and under-15 teams won their divisions’ championship games.

The most impressive performance came from the under-13 boys, who won their grand final against Harvey by 48 points, with Mali Hodzic scoring the most points in the division and Vaterisio Cagilaba being given the sportsman’s award.

McIntosh said although some teams were able to take the trophy home, he was most proud of the way all of the athletes conducted themselves. “The biggest things we noticed was the praise of our players for their sportsmanship,” he said. “We had the referees and other teams come up and say how great our players’ sportsmanship is, and that’s a big highlight.”

KBA will be sending representative sides to the State championships later in the year, with these latest victories sure to help build the players’ confidence.

“It gives them the belief in each other that they can go down there and compete at that level, plus it helps them know they’re on the right pathway with their training and coaching,” McIntosh said.

KBA also sent eight referees to the championships, all of whom got championship games and got great feedback from BWA.