The Under 18 Victorian men's team proudly represented their state at the prestigious Shanghai invitational tournament – Future Stars. Our team, consisting of players from the Metro and Country Under 18 men's teams, showed exceptional sportsmanship throughout the event.
A 12-man lineup faced off against top talent from around the world, including teams from Japan, Serbia, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Canada, U.S.A and host nation China with their Under 19 national team.
The Victorian squad included:
- Harrison Beauchamp (Vic Metro and CROC) Knox
- Edward Brammall (Vic Metro) Dandenong
- Ryder Cheesman (Vic Metro and CROC) Knox
- James Coleman (Vic Metro) Diamond Valley
- Austin Foxwell (Vic Metro) Dandenong
- Joel Robinson (Vic Country) Casey/ Phillip Island
- Keegan Johnson (Vic Country) Geelong United
- Marcus Krasnadamskis (Vic Metro) Knox
- Henry Sewell (Vic Metro and CROC) Dandenong
- Marcus Vaughns (Vic Metro and BA CoE) Eltham
- Denver Warry (Vic Metro) Frankston
- Charles Webb (Vic Metro) Knox
Basketball Victoria’s General Manager High Performance and Head Coach Grant Wallace, praised the team’s efforts, stating, "It was a remarkable week of learning for our athletes on and off the court. The boys got to experience international travel within a team, hot and humid temperatures both on and off the court and had to adjust to a different style of play. The team was solid throughout the whole tournament and brought home the bronze medal!"
Wallace expressed immense pride in his team's performance, highlighting their resilience in the face of tough competition. "As an Under 18 team playing against athletes 1-2 years older, returning with a bronze medal is a huge achievement. An overtime loss to the Chinese national team in the semi-finals saw us battle it out against Canada for the bronze, which we won by 15 points."
The tournament was exceptionally well-organised, and the team thoroughly enjoyed their experience. They were grateful for the opportunity to challenge themselves against top international competition.
Stay tuned for an insider report from the tournament, but in the meantime, check out some photos of the team on the road.
