The Benalla Basketball Tournament, held from February 22-23, showcased some outstanding performances from the Deniliquin Junior Giants across various age groups, with highlights from the under-18 and under-12 girls teams.
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Both sides were runners-up in the grand final for the respective groups.
The 2024/25 season marked the final tournament for the Junior Giants’ under-16 and under-18 players, closing a chapter for top-age players like Baxter Cowley, Brody Wills, Dexter Hardman, Josh Todd, Aysha Mitsch, Ava Richards, Molly Bradley, and Shontai O'Callaghan.
“We want to say a big thank you to these players and their families for their unwavering commitment, passion, and the joy they’ve brought to the Giants family over the years,” Bec Fitzpatrick said on behalf of the Giants.
“Your impact, both on and off the court, will always be remembered.”
Looking ahead, the under-12 and under-14 teams are preparing for their final tournament of the season.
It will be held in Wangaratta this Saturday and Sunday.
Results from the Benalla tournament are as follows.
Under-18 girls:
The girls had a standout tournament, playing with determination and skill in every game.
They opened with a solid 47-29 victory over Corryong.
Aysha Mitsch led the scoring with 10 points, while Molly Bradley surprised herself hitting a three-pointer.
Their dominant 41-15 win over Albury Cougars was a team effort, with Hannah McBurnie’s strong rebounding and defensive support and Shontai O’Callaghan’s court knowledge a key factor.
In their third game, the Giants cruised to a 29-6 victory over Euroa.
Sienna Elphick proved unstoppable on offence, creating multiple scoring opportunities, while Ava Richards and Ruby Cowley continued their excellent defensive work, ensuring Euroa had very little chance to score.
Bae Willis also made her mark, contributing five points to the scoreboard and enhancing the solid team performance.
The Giants played a close and intense match against Tatura in game four, but Tatura narrowly emerged victorious with a 30-28 win.
It was a hard-fought, competitive game, with standout performances from all players.
A last-minute basket from Tatura ultimately secured the win, setting up a rematch in the grand final.
Despite the girls’ best efforts in the grand final, the Giants narrowly lost to Tatura 20-18.
The team stayed focused and worked tirelessly, again with all girls contributing but Tatura edged them out in the final moments.
Despite the loss, the Giants displayed great resilience and teamwork.
Sienna Elphick’s offensive performance throughout the tournament earned her the Deni Clothing Co Tournament Award.
Under-16 girls:
The girls faced tough competition, beginning with a 25-14 loss to a strong Wodonga Wolves outfit.
Despite a valiant effort from Jorja Woolston, the team couldn’t overcome the Wolves.
They fell again 27-5 to Mansfield Eagles but rebounded with a strong 27-19 win over Wangaratta Warriors, with Ava Braybon leading the charge.
The team continued to show resilience, with a 20-11 victory over Myrtleford Saints.
The final game offered the Giants a chance to secure a spot in the grand final, provided they could defeat their rivals, the Yarra-Mul Lakers.
Unfortunately, their tournament came to an end with a 31-15 loss.
Lucy Crossley’s improvement and determination throughout earned her the Berrima Engineering Tournament Award.
Under-14 girls:
The girls started with a tough loss to Wangaratta, 30-9, but bounced back in a thrilling 17-17 draw against Mansfield Eagles.
Meg Meharry and Izzy Didcock showed strong offensive efforts, while Kilarni MacDonald shone defensively.
Despite a 32-14 loss to Shepparton, the girls came back with energy on Sunday, securing a 34-7 win against Albury Cougars.
They finished with a strong 35-14 victory over Euroa, with a total team effort and everyone contributing.
Indi Conalin earned the Tre Fruit Tournament Award for her leadership and effort.
Under-12 girls:
The girls made a remarkable appearance in their first grand final of the season, finishing as runners-up after a strong weekend of basketball.
They showed impressive defensive pressure, forcing turnovers that led to scoring opportunities and controlling the ball better than ever before.
Their teamwork and improved ball handling were evident in every match, and they won four out of five games.
The Giants opened the tournament with a dominant 37-6 win over Benalla, with solid defensive pressure creating multiple scoring opportunities for the team.
Their 42-2 victory over Shepparton was another standout, with Stevie Williams’ 18 points leading the way.
The defensive efforts from Aysha Bartlett, Harper Bulmer, Indie Bulmer, Mia Fitzmaurice, and Isla Moodie’s also helped secure the win.
One of the most thrilling games of the tournament came in their 13-12 win over Myrtleford.
Aysha made a crucial free throw with just seconds left, and Indie sealed the win with a last-minute steal.
The girls then triumphed 16-4 over Albury Cougars, with their bottom-aged players stepping up.
In the grand final, despite a slow start, the Giants fought hard but ultimately fell short to Yarra-Mul 22-16.
Stella Butcher, who had an exceptional game, earned praise for her defensive pressure and five points scored.
Stevie Williams was named Elders Player of the Tournament for her standout performances across all games, contributing to the team’s success.
Under-18 boys:
The boys had a mixed but competitive showing at the Benalla tournament.
They started strong with a commanding 67-30 win over Euroa, led by Josh Todd, Baxter Cowley, and Brody Wills, who contributed both offensively and defensively.
However, they faced a tough challenge in their second game against Benalla, falling short 20-29.
Despite strong defensive performances from Chase Bartlett and Dexter Hardman, the team struggled to score.
They bounced back in their third game, defeating Mansfield 57-17 in one of their best performances of the tournament.
Jai Park and Spencer and Baxter Cowley played key roles
In their final game, the Giants had a chance to secure a spot in the grand final if they could overcome Myrtleford, a team they had drawn with just two weeks prior.
However, Myrtleford came out strong from the start, leaving the Giants playing catch-up.
Despite their efforts, the team couldn’t close the gap and fell 21-40.
Chase Bartlett was the standout player of the tournament for the Giants.
His leadership, relentless energy, and defensive pressure were key to the team’s success.
A memorable moment was his crucial three-pointer against Myrtleford, showcasing his skill and confidence.
Chase’s all-around commitment earned him the Fitzpatrick Family Tournament Award.
Under-16 boys
The boys struggled at the start of their tournament, losing 64-22 to Wodonga Wolves and 60-32 to Yorta Yorta Turtles.
However, they bounced back with a strong 35-27 win over Shepparton Gators.
The boys finished their tournament with a 43-34 victory over Mansfield Eagles, giving their four departing players a memorable send-off.
Stu Benger was named Player of the Tournament for his leadership and energy.
Under-14 boys:
The boys had a tough tournament competing in Division 1, starting with a 69-6 loss to Myrtleford Saints.
They showed grit in their following matches but were defeated by Yarra-Mul Lakers, Wodonga Wolves, and Wodonga Wolves Maroon.
Mikey Benger was awarded the Menadue Flooring Tournament Award for his consistent play, leadership, and sportsmanship.
Under-14 boys development team:
The team faced a challenging weekend, starting with a tough 48-18 loss to Shepparton.
In their next match, the Giants struggled against a tall and powerful Benalla team, falling 64-18 despite solid efforts.
The team faced Mansfield Eagles in their third game, but despite strong defensive work, they lost 61-7.
The boys ended their tournament with a 45-20 loss to Myrtleford, playing their best game of the weekend.
The Riverina Watermatic Tournament Award went to Jordie White.
Jordie’s agility and determination was exceptional, and he gave 110 per cent in every game throughout the weekend.
Under-12 boys:
The boys had a successful start, defeating Yarra-Mul 35-29, but in their second it was a close 38-31 loss to Myrtleford. The Saints capitalised on a series of fouls.
Against Wodonga Wolves, the Giants fought hard, but a last-second score from the Wolves led to a 38-36 defeat in a nail-biting finish.
In their semi-final rematch against Myrtleford, the Giants held a strong lead early but fell 36-25 due to a series of fouls.
Jetta Macdonald was awarded the Provincial Wealth Tournament Award for his standout performance throughout the weekend.
Under-12 boys development team:
The boys faced a tough start with a 33-20 loss to the Gators, but showed great defensive efforts and teamwork.
They fell 43-25 to the Cougars but showed promising signs of development.
The Giants played their best game against Euroa, leading throughout to win 43-19, with strong all round team contributions.
Despite a tough 36-20 loss to Breakers and a close 26-20 defeat to Mansfield Eagles, the team demonstrated impressive growth.
Asher Parsons earned the Wired Entertainment Tournament Award for his efforts.
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