The Illawarra under 14 boys basketball side is a fair bit smaller than many of their opponents.
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In a sport like basketball where height plays such a big factor, that can be a problem.
But not for this group of boys.
The side has recently returned from a successful Australian Under 14 Club Championships, where they finished fourth against much larger and highly fancied rivals.
Coach Simon Dent praised the boys for completely buying in to a gameplan that enabled the side to have so much success.
“We’re not a very big team so we have a philosophy that if we can stay in games, we can be a chance to win them come the fourth quarter,” Dent said.
“There were a number of games throughout the competition we just hung in and then managed to get the win in the last quarter.
“The boys played really well as a team, they understood their roles and were able to work together, particularly at the defensive end of the court. They were willing to listen and commit themselves to do what they’re asked to do and play for each other.”
The tournament comes after a successful year for the side, with victories in the Country Championships and NSW Championships.
The junior Hawks toppled the Sydney Comets in the final of the NSW Championships, but it was their Sydney rivals who hit back in Kilsyth, Victoria.
The two teams played out a free-flowing third-place match at the Australian Championships, with the Comets ultimately claiming a three-point victory, 52-49, after Joshua Dent’s half-court heave couldn’t land.
The fourth-place finish marks a considerable improvement for the Illawarra side after they finished ninth in 2017.
While disappointed to lose the bronze-medal-match, Dent was proud of the effort of his side in both the bronze-medal match and the tournament as a whole.
“It was a bit disappointing, but at the same time, the teams are very evenly matched and at the end of such a long week, you have to take your chances. They took theirs a little better than we did.
“Overall, it was a great experience both on and off the court. The boys spent a lot of time together off the court and their bonds continue to build. Thanks have to go to our sponsors who helped the boys experience these championships.”