Fleming, 13, and Sutton, 12, will suit up for the Bendigo Braves’ under-14 team at the Junior Club Championships in Sydney against 48 of the brightest young basketball teams in the country.
The tournament provides an elite pathway from under-14s all the way through to under-18s and is widely regarded as a springboard for the best young basketball players in Australia to showcase their skills.
In terms of potential, the two Echuca young guns have it in spades.
The duo was selected to represent the Braves in Sydney following a successful Victorian Junior Basketball League under-14 season that saw Bendigo progress to the semi-finals of the championship division.
In April, Fleming and Sutton were key members of the Braves’ division one title at the Junior Country Championships and their dedication to their craft has paid off in a productive year.
While the hours can be long, the boys have enjoyed a successful season to date and Fleming, a point-guard, said he was excited to compete.
“It’s been a good season playing with my mates,” Fleming said.
“It can be a lot of driving but it’s definitely been worth it getting that experience.”
Sutton, a talented shooting guard and forward, said he was looking forward to competing — and scoring — against some of the tall timber at the tournament.
The Braves have been drawn in Pool D, with the top two sides at the end of the pool rounds progressing to the championship division and a shot at the Ken Watson Trophy for the overall winners.
The opening ceremony on Saturday, September 24, will get the club championships under way, with matches taking place from September 25-30.
