Warrnambool Basketball junior development gets big tick

Nine athletes have been selected for the under 16 and under 18 boys and girls State Development Programs (SDP).

Molly McLaren, Mia Mills, Matilda Sewell (under 16 girls), Charlie McKinnon, Finn O'Sullivan, Kayne Rae-Rentsch, Will Rantall (under 16 boys), Harry McGorm and George Stevens (under 18 boys) are in the Basketball Victoria programs.

Mills, 14, is excited to have been picked for the SDP for the first time.

She said the first round of try-outs were held on December 13 (Geelong) and the second round on January 16 (Bendigo).

The talented basketballer is no stranger to state level basketball having represented Vic Country at the Southern Cross Challenge in Melbourne in 2019.

Mills said she was waiting to see what the SDP would encompass because of the coronavirus pandemic.

She said her friends in the program last year trained three times a week in-person before the pandemic started, with sessions in Warrnambool or Geelong.

They then participated in online sessions.

Mia, who is from Allansford, has her fingers crossed they'll be able to train in-person this year.

The 14-year-old has plenty happening in the meantime.

She played in the Bendgio junior classic over the weekend with the Mermaids' under 16 girls.

It was the first junior representative tournament back since the pandemic started.

"It was just great to be back on court and playing other teams other than our own girls," she said.

She explained the Mermaids fell to Geelong in a semi-final.

Outside of her game, Mia is set to mentor Warrnambool Basketball's Aussie Hoops and under 10s participants with friend Matilda Sewell.

Mia also helped mentor youngsters last year.

She said coaching had helped her own basketball too.

"It has definitely helped me develop my game to improve in areas and I now see that through what a coach would see," she said.

Mia said the Warrnambool representative tournament was just a fortnight away and the country championships would be held in about a month.