Junior Pirates end the year with trip to Shepparton

By Bransen Gibson

Dec 8, 2022

Showdown: Echuca’s Solomon Fleming sizes up his opponent during a clash with the Hepparton Gators. Photo: Megan Fisher

Players from the Echuca Moama Basketball Association travelled down to Shepparton last weekend to take part in the final junior tournament of the year.

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A total of 18 Echuca teams competing across four age groups in the boys and girls divisions made the trip down for the Greater Shepparton Basketball Association Tournament, battling it out with the region’s best teams at the two-day competition.

All of Echuca’s teams fought hard at the event, with some teams having particularly strong showings at the tournament.

Echuca’s under-12 division two boys won four of their five pool games, including impressive victories over Seymour and Tumut.

The Pirates finished second on the ladder in their pool, narrowly missing out on a spot in the grand final.

In the under-14 boys, Echuca’s division one side finished with three wins and one loss in their pool, but missed out on making it through to the finals by a slim margin.

In division three, the Pirates were undefeated in their four pool games, with some magnificent wins over Euroa and Shepp Gators.

But just like their division one teammates, the Pirates could not quite sneak into the grand finals.

Tigers title: Rochy Tigers under-14 tournament winners at Shepparton are, from back left: Harvey Keating, Toby Phyland, Tom Alberni and Asher Rasmussen, while front are Mason Mundie, Judd Cuttriss and Harry Rasmussen.

It was a great weekend for Rochester’s under-14 division two boys, with the Tigers winning the grand final.

After finishing first in their pool with four wins and no losses, Rochester defeated the Wodonga Wolves 35-31 in the finale.

The Pirates sides in the under-16s and under-18s also battled hard, but they too couldn’t quite reach the finals.

The competition in Shepparton was the third tournament the Pirates have taken part in this season, following one in Horsham in November and in Echuca in September.

EMBA president Lisa Baker said it had been great to see Echuca’s teams improve as the year had gone on.