ONE of the Coffs Coast’s best young basketballers has won a gold medal while representing her state.

Alexis Plater was part of the NSW women’s team that won this year’s Under 20 National Championships in Ballarat.

Plater and her NSW teammates prevailed 69-64 against Queensland, in a State of Origin decider for the gold medal.

The Coffs Harbour Suns player scored six points and had five rebounds in the gold medal game, in a championship decider which saw the lead change multiple times.

NSW avenged their 86-79 defeat at the hands of Queensland in their prior pool match.

Plater had three points, two assists, and two steals off the bench for NSW, in her sides’ 77-63 win in their pool match against the ACT.

NSW qualified for the gold medal game with a narrow 55-53 win in their semi-final against Victoria.

Heading into the national championships, Plater was coming off a strong representative season for the Coffs Harbour Suns women’s team.

She was awarded the Most Valuable Player of the Far North Coast based Sunshine Basketball Conference.

Playing for St John Paul College Coffs Harbour, she was part of the school’s open girls team that won last year’s NSW Combined Catholic Colleges Basketball Championships.

She has also previously represented NSW Country at the 2024 Under 18 National Championships in Brisbane.

By Aiden BURGESS