U15 Girls Basketball

The Under 15 Girls Basketball team had an outstanding day at the Riverina Basketball Knockout on 5 August, showcasing fantastic teamwork, determination and plenty of developing basketball talent.

The girls started the day strongly against RAP, securing a convincing 77–11 victory. Zara’s speed was a major asset, with her ability to push the ball up the court and use her quickness making her almost unstoppable in the opening game. Isla showed incredible tenacity, never giving up and fighting hard for every possession, even when the game was already well in hand. Kylah was a defensive powerhouse, staying with her opponents and consistently shutting down scoring opportunities.

The girls continued their strong form against Leeton High, recording another impressive 33–15 win and booking their place in the Riverina Final. Throughout the game, Tully transferred her tight netball defence beautifully to basketball and even managed to sink one of the most unexpected baskets of the day! Xanthe continued to prove why she is “Miss Reliable”, providing strong defence while also making valuable contributions in attack.

The final against Tumut presented a much tougher challenge, with a tall and highly skilled opposition. Despite the challenge, our girls showed tremendous resilience, staying with Tumut throughout the first half and refusing to back down. Tumut managed to pull away in the second half to secure a 51–22 victory, but the scoreboard certainly did not reflect the effort and determination shown by our team. Annaliese impressed with her basketball smarts, reading the game well, pulling down important rebounds and creating opportunities for her teammates. Elsie remained calm and composed under pressure, consistently making smart decisions when the team needed them. Georgie used her knowledge and understanding of the game to direct players around the court while applying impressive defensive pressure. Sienna worked tirelessly throughout the day, chasing down loose balls, working hard in defence and helping newer players build confidence on the court. Alice arrived at the gala day thinking she was a netballer, but by the end of the day, we may have converted her! As her confidence grew, so did her basketball skills, with noticeable improvement in both attack and defence throughout the day.

Every player made a valuable contribution, and the girls should be incredibly proud of the way they competed, supported one another and represented Narrandera High School. It was an absolute pleasure to coach this team. The girls demonstrated fantastic sportsmanship, encouraged and supported one another, welcomed new players and showed exactly what being part of a team is all about. While we may not have come away with the final win, their effort, attitude, resilience and teamwork made them winners in every other way.

Congratulations to all the girls on an amazing day and a fantastic representation of Narrandera High School.

A massive thank you also goes to the Year 10 Sports Studies class, who ran the bench for the entire day. You were professional, reliable and fantastic representatives of our school, with other schools commenting on how well you performed your roles. Finally, thank you to Zac and Bella for umpiring throughout the day. Without students willing to step up and take on these important roles, days like this simply could not happen.

Mrs Beth Chappell

U15 Girls Basketball Coach