Sport
14 February, 2025
Ready for slam dunk weekend
Approximately 540 players from 16 country Victoria basketball associations will converge in Maryborough and Castlemaine this weekend for the Maryborough Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough and St Arnaud Basketball Tournament.
A total of 54 teams from as far as Warrnambool and Seymour will compete in 118 games across eight competitions.
Running for the fourth consecutive year, including the third year with Community Bank Maryborough, Avoca and St Arnaud as a major sponsor, Maryborough Basketball Association committee member Sarah Broad said the tournament is the chance for local basketballers to show friends and family what they can do.
“It’s a great way for community players to see what the pathway is through Basketball Victoria and there’s no better way than through tournaments,” she said.
“You get to showcase your association’s talent and give all kids the opportunity to play at rep level.
“Our town has some beautiful talent that’s come out of [the tournament] previously.
“Matthew Dellavedova and some other really highly talented players as well who have gone on to represent at high levels.”
Broad said the tournament not only benefits local basketball but also the Maryborough food, drink and accommodation industry.
“We have 72 games on Saturday and 46 games on Sunday, every game there’s at least 10 kids out on the court and if every kid brings two family members, it’s a massive boost to our community,” she said.
“Local caravan park is booked out, Avoca is booked out, accommodation wise they’re really supporting the whole association.”
Due to the Nolan Street court being deemed unusable by council, games will also be played at Castlemaine’s War Memorial Stadium to ensure the tournament doesn’t need to downsize.
Broad said the Castlemaine Basketball Association has been wonderful in ensuring the tournament can continue without a hitch.
“We have introduced Castlemaine courts into our local tournament this year because we don’t have the courts needed to facilitate all the games we have,” she said.
“It’s a shame Nolan Street is not up to scratch and it’s the shame the community doesn’t have more courts available.
“Instead of making our tournament a lot smaller, we have worked with Castlemaine Basketball Association and we thank them very much for their contribution.
“Castlemaine is a fantastic facility, their tournament hasn’t gone ahead for a few years but they are hoping to regenerate with a new committee and want to get their tournament up and going.
“It opens up the opportunity to have more games played, sometimes teams might only play three games but now we have the opportunity for some teams to play four or five games.”
The Maryborough Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough and St Arnaud Basketball Tournament runs from this Saturday, February 15 to Sunday, February 16.
Games will be played at the Maryborough Sports and Leisure Centre, Carisbrook Leisure Centre, Maryborough Education Centre and Castlemaine War Memorial Stadium.