Basketball Academy
It has been a busy and rewarding start to Term 2 for the Berwick College Basketball Academy, with student athletes continuing to demonstrate outstanding commitment to their development both on and off the court. Across all year levels, players have embraced the opportunity to improve their skills, build stronger team connections, and challenge themselves in highly competitive environments as the Academy program continues to grow from strength to strength.
The Basketball Academy has enjoyed an outstanding start to Term 2, with student athletes representing the College strongly across the recent Victorian Secondary Schools Challenge (VSSC) Qualifying tournaments.
VSSC Qualifiers
Across multiple year levels and divisions, our teams competed with great effort, discipline and sportsmanship against some of the strongest basketball programs in Victoria. The tournaments provided an excellent opportunity for our athletes to continue developing their skills in a highly competitive environment while proudly representing Berwick College.
A highlight of the qualifiers was the success of several teams progressing through to the VSSC State Finals later this term. Our Year 7 and Year 8 boys and girls teams demonstrated excellent teamwork and resilience throughout the day, while our Intermediate and Senior programs continued to build strong momentum with impressive performances across their respective divisions.
State Finals Qualification
The Academy is proud to announce that multiple Berwick College teams have officially qualified for the State Finals, including our Junior Boys Division 1, Junior Girls Division 1, Intermediate Boys Division 1, Intermediate Girls Division 1, Senior Boys Division 1 and Senior Girls Division 1 teams. This achievement is a reflection of the hard work and commitment shown by our student athletes and coaching staff throughout the year.
Girls Program Milestone
Another significant milestone for the Academy recently was the introduction of an all-girls training session featuring athletes from our Junior, Intermediate and Senior Girls programs. For the first time in Academy history, student athletes from across the entire girls pathway trained together on court in the one session.
The morning was a fantastic reflection of the culture continuing to grow within girls' basketball at Berwick College. It was extremely pleasing to see older athletes mentoring younger students, while all players challenged and supported one another throughout the session. The training highlighted the strong connection, leadership and sense of community that exists across the Academy’s girls' program and reinforced the positive direction of female basketball within the College.
US College Commitments
The Academy would also like to congratulate Seb Rault, Dakota Blacka and Mitch Zeunert on their recent commitments to US College basketball scholarships.
Their achievements are a testament to the dedication, hard work and persistence they have shown throughout their time in the Academy program.
These opportunities highlight the continued growth of the Academy pathway and provide fantastic inspiration for younger student athletes aspiring to pursue basketball at the next level.
NBA Rising Stars Invitational Preparation
Looking ahead, excitement is continuing to build around the upcoming NBA Rising Stars Invitational tournament. Berwick College student athletes and staff have been preparing extensively in recent months as the program gets ready for another opportunity to compete on the national and international stage.
Following a successful campaign last year, our athletes are highly motivated and looking forward to representing the College once again. Training standards and preparation have been outstanding, with players embracing the opportunity to challenge themselves against elite competition. Further information regarding the tournament and upcoming fixtures will be communicated to families and the wider school community closer to the event.
Gerard Leonard
Health/PE - Basketball Academy Coach