Three Mount Gambier basketballers have been selected in the 2015 South Australian Under 20 teams to play in the Australian Junior Basketball Championships in Dandenong, Victoria from February 22^nd to 28^th. They are current Lakers players Kane deWit, Monjath Makoi and former Laker, Georgia Green, now living in Adelaide and playing for Eastern Mavericks.

Paul Rigoni is Coach of the SA Men’s team while Kaye-Lee Stuart is in charge of the Women. Stuart is no stranger to Mount Gambier Basketball when she played in the Lakers’ Women’s SEABL team in the 1990’s.

The Under 20’s and Ivor Burge Championships, for players with an Intellectual Disability, are two national championships have been held at the same time and venue each year since 2003.

The first Under 20 Men’s Championships were held in 1974 when Victoria won the first title. The Women’s Championships began in 1981 with South Australia taking out the Championship.

Teams representing each state, ACT, NSW, Queensland, S.A., Tasmania, Victoria, and W.A., compete for the title of national champion each year.

At the Under 20 National Championships the Bob Staunton Medal is awarded to the most outstanding male and female player. The Staunton medals are named to honour his memory and contribution to Australian Basketball as a player and an administrator.

Victoria has dominated both Championships in previous years. South Australian Women have won the title three times since 2003, while the SA Men are yet to claim the mantle of national champion.

South Australia Men and Women play Western Australia in the opening round before the Official Opening on Sunday February 22^nd. Matches continue through the week followed by semi-finals on Friday and the Grand Finals and presentations on Saturday.