The Northern Suburbs Basketball Association will once again have a strong representation at two of the major junior basketball events on the Basketball Australia calendar with a host of players and coaches to represent NSW in 2015.

The Australian Under 20 Championships will be held at Dandenong Basketball Stadium later this month, with rising young Norths stars Lizzy Tonks, Sara Anastasieska and Madeleine O’Hehir key members of the women’s team and talented centre Jordan Hunter in the men’s team. Hunter and Tonks are currently on scholarship at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in Canberra, while Anastasieska and O’Hehir are members of the Norths Waratah Championship Women’s team.

New South Wales has a proud tradition of success at the Under 20 level and all four young Bears are expected to play key roles as the Blues vie for medals in the championships, which run February 22 – 28.

There will also be a strong Norths presence at the Australian Under 18 Championships in Ballarat In July, with six young Bears selected to represent New South Wales Metropolitan at the event. Athletic young swingman Louis Stenmark will join Bears team-mate Brennan  Rymer in the men’s team, which will also feature current Norths Under 18 Men’s coach Shaun Roger as an assistant coach. Both players were members of the 2014 MJL Championship Bears team and will be key players again in 2015.

NSBA Development Officer Natalie Stafford is the coach of the NSW Metropolitan Under 18 Girls team, which will feature talented young Bears players Milly Yates, Kristen Vrcelj, Jess Robinson and Ali Gorman. The four players were selected after impressive performances at the recent East Coast Challenge and trials throughout the summer months.

NSBA Development Manager Peter Lonergan said it was a great reward for these young players and the coaches appointed to state team roles for their ongoing commitment.

“Representing your state is always an honour for players and coaches alike and we are proud of all the Bears that will wear the sky blue in 2015,” he said.

“Selection in teams such as these is the culmination of a lot of hours of training and commitment and is also a great credit to the volunteer coaches who have invested so many hours into their development.”

“To have 10 players and two coaches selected to represent NSW at these two prestigious events is terrific for the association and we wish them all the best for the tournaments.”