FOUR fantastic Coffs Harbour basketballers have been crowned national champions.

Lachlan Martin, Lachie Mihai, Billy Rigby, and Ashley Schellenberger were part of the North Coast Basketball team which won the 18 and under boys national title at the NBL 3×3 Big Hustle National Championships in Ballarat.

The North Coast Basketball team won the national final by one point in a thrilling game against the Sydney-based Hills Hornets.

The North Coast team won 4 of their 5 games on the way to winning the national title, with their only loss coming in their first pool game against eventual runners-up Hills Hornets.

Winning North Coast Basketball player Ashley Schellenberger said the team improved every game on their way to winning the national title.

“I think how we performed from the first day to the second day was a good thing for us development wise as every game we performed better and got better, so I think if it wasn’t for those downfalls we had in those first few games we wouldn’t have been able to perform like we did in the final,” he said.

North Coast Basketball coach Robert Linton explained to News Of The Area how his team were able to bounce back after a first up loss to their eventual finals opponent.

“Everything clicked for them in the last game,” he said.

“They had lost to that team on the Saturday and weren’t playing as a team, they changed that in the final and it was great to watch them work together for the win.”

The national champions were one of ten North Coast Basketball teams who took part in the 3×3 national titles, with seven of the ten teams making the finals of their respective competitions.

Linton said taking his teams to compete at the nationals was about the players experiencing a big-time basketball event such as the 3×3 national championships.

“It wasn’t about winning national titles, it was more about giving these kids exposure and experience taking them down to Melbourne and seeing what their facilities were like and what basketball is like in Victoria,” he said.

“So if they could just develop as players and come away as a better player from the event that’s all I wanted but the national championship on top is just a bonus.”

 

By Aiden BURGESS