Basketball: Whanganui championship winning boys squad invited to exclusive tournament next month

A ground-breaking Whanganui age group basketball team has been further rewarded after winning BBNZ U13 Central Regional Boys B Grade basketball championship in New Plymouth in mid-October.

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It is a first for a team from Whanganui.

The Ross Cronshaw-coached side went through the competition unbeaten, topping their pool with a 99-30 thrashing of Taranaki Country, then dishing out an 85-63 semifinal beating to Hawke's Bay B.

That win put the Whanganui team into the final against Hutt Valley Green, who proved no obstacle. Whanganui won 64-52, in one of their closest encounters all week.

Two of the 12-strong squad, Nehemiah Su'a and Diamond Robertson-Hiri, have been invited to the New Zealand U14 camp next year after impressing selectors with their performances throughout the tournament.

Cronshaw is keen to return as coach to help them prepare for an even sterner test.

"As a result of their win at the BBNZ tournament, the team has been invited to an exclusive junior tournament happening in Taupo in December," Cronshaw said.

"The tournament is being run by Everard Bartlett, who is a former Breaker and Tall Black. It is invitational only and will have some of the top club and representative teams coming to it from around the North Island."