Tatura punching above its weight in under-14 basketball tournaments

By Rodney Woods

Feb 15, 2021

Tatura Basketball Association's under-14 boys missed out on playing at Rochester at the weekend, due to Victoria's snap lockdown, but they still have plenty of chances to represent the town in the coming weeks and months.

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The eight boys had already joined forces to make the semi-finals at a tournament in Bendigo, held across the Australia Day weekend, and were hoping to perform similarly at Rochester.

If everything goes to plan, the group will head to Maryborough this weekend, Traralgon in early March and Whittlesea in early April to compete.

The team is led by coach Maddie Rijs, who is a Tatura resident and has been a development coach and team manager of the Bendigo Lady Braves in the NBL1, formerly the South East Australian Basketball League.

Tatura Basketball Association vice-president Julie Batey said Rijs had given the boys training drills to complete during the lockdown, which they videoed and sent back to her.

“The boys are dedicated as they train twice a week after school and weekends to improve themselves,” Batey said.

“During lockdown, Maddie would set them drills to complete and they would send in videos of themselves completing them.”

Batey explained what the association had done for the team during last year's extended lockdown.

“The association has followed the Basketball Victoria COVID-19 guidelines and worked to offer basketball with in the guidelines,” she said.

“The association sourced an outdoor court behind Victory Hall with the committee of the hall allowing the club to utilise this and also providing a new ring and backboard.

“Skills sessions were offered to all ages from Aussie Hoops to A-grade in all kinds of weather.

“Once the committee had permission to use the indoor court, competition commenced which went right up to Christmas.”

The association is also seeking to improve the participation of girls in the sport by offering a development team, which will play in the larger Shepparton association.

The eight boys who were to represent Tatura at Rochester were: Luke Hamilton, Robbie Hamilton, Isaac Jones, Shannon Wills, Leon Findlay, Daniel Simpson, Archer Backway and Cooper Gow.