Our predominately bottom-age Under 12 boys entered their third tournament for the year. For the third straight time, they made their grade’s Grand Final and sadly for the third time after a competitive effort, they just came up short of a Grand Final win. 

Despite the loss, the boys had an outstanding King’s birthday weekend at the Ballarat tournament. Going undefeated into the Grand Final the boys played relentless full-court defence at one end of the court while embracing some great team offence at the other.

Before the tournament began, their coach gave them four objectives, try the dribble skills they had learnt at training but had yet to perform in a game, play hard in every game, embrace the team structures they had learnt at training and put them to work in match situations. The boys ticked every box and met every goal and along the way defeated much taller and older teams to make the Grand Final.

To do that the boys had to earn two wins coming from behind, and a number of close results, including a one-point win in their semi-final.

More importantly, the boys and their families enjoyed bonding experiences throughout the tournament.