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Victoria makes it two from two at U20 basketball championships
- Updated: March 2, 2015
VICTORIA has scooped the pool at this year’s Australian under-20 national basketball championships on its home court in Dandenong on Saturday night.
The Vics secured the men’s title after winning a thrilling grand final showdown with Tasmania, 105-104, while the women beat West Australia in more convincing fashion.
A courageous Tasmania made 46 three-point attempts in the championship-decider, but missed 29 of them including one in the dying stages in a bid to snatch a win.
Victoria’s scoring was predominantly shared among Dejan Vasiljevic (23 points), Tom Wilson (21), Jack White (21) and Jock Perry (20). White also led the way in rebounds with a match-high 13.
Vasiljevic finished with an average 17.88 points for the championships, placing him second behind WA’s Rhys Vague (22.57), and Tasmania’s Tanner Krebs (18.38).
Krebs, with nine three-pointers from 20 attempts, was Tasmania’s top scorer after downing 31 points, backed by Kyle Clark (27), Lachlan Barker (22) and Joseph Chilcott (20), who also collected 12 rebounds.
New South Wales had earlier held off South Australia 79-65 to win the battle for the men’s bronze medal, with Matthew Bateup downing 17 points and gathering 16 rebounds.
Bateup finished second for total rebounds across all teams for the titles, averaging 8.38, behind Queensland’s Jack McVeigh (9.88).
Victoria had it more its own way in the women’s final, trouncing West Australia 75-41.
Alanna Smith was again the star for the winners, hauling in 11 rebounds to go with her game-high 17 points. Alexandra Sharp chipped in with 12 points and Kasey Burton 11.
Smith finished with a competition-high average of 19.75 points, ahead of SA’s Demi Skinner (18.12) and ACT’s Molly McPhee (17.71). McPhee finished No.1 for total rebounds at the titles, averaging 11.29.
WA was best served by Ashlee Sidebottom with 16 points and Mikayla Pirini (11).
Queensland beat Tasmania 84-57 in the playoff for the bronze medal, with Courtney Woods (19 points), Meg Essex (18) and Ainslie Walsh (14) leading the way.
Source: Basketball Australia
