TWO boys from the Broken Hill Broncos will soon be setting off for Albury to represent their team at the Australian Junior Country Cup, competing against top basketball players from every state and New Zealand.
Kayle Mcinnes, aged 11, and Braxton Edge, aged 12, were both selected for the SA Country Future Development squad last year. They are set to compete against the country’s best-of-the-best on Sunday and Monday, January 12, 13, (training camp) and then Tuesday through to Saturday, January 14-18 tournament).
The boys will be representing the team’s governing body SA Country Basketball and the Broken Hill Broncos at the event, which attracts upwards of 60 teams.
For the boys, who have played basketball together since they were five, the competition held in Albury is their first major competition.
Under-14s future development program coach Michael Powell said qualification for the Albury competition was rigourous.
“There were two trials held, and for those the boys had to go away and trial against everybody else in the state,” he said.
“From that we cut numbers down to 45 kids from the entire state, followed by one more centralised trial and selected the squads from there.”
Tamara Hyde, Braxton’s mother, said she is very proud of her son.
“He hasn’t experienced this level of competitive basketball before,” she said.
Kayle’s mum, Klarika McInnes, said she’s especially proud of her son considering he is a young player compared to others in the team.
“I’m very proud because he’s bottom-aged, so he didn’t think he had a chance to win it,” she said.
“He’s definitely over the moon and we’re over the moon for him.”
Mr Powell said this year the trials were open for younger players like Kayle.
“Each age grade has top ages and bottom ages, it just comes down to the year they’re born,” he said.
“So under-14s for example, you’ll have kids that are turning 13 in that system and you’ll have kids that are turning 12; they’re too old to play under-12s, so they go up to under-14s.
“This year we opened it up to bottom-age kids to be allowed to trial.
“And a few of them performed really, really well, Kayle being one of them.
“It’s good to see some Broken Hill kids back in the program.”
Both boys said they are excited but bit nervous.
“Our parents usually come with us, but this time we stay with our team in the hotel,” Braxton said.
