Bundy excels at central titles

BASKETBALL: Bundaberg Basketball junior president Neil Petersen is excited about the future of the sport in the city with their playing numbers continuing to boom and their representative sides keeping on an upward spiral.

He was delighted with their teams' performances across the board in the Central Districts Championships which concluded with the third round in Bundaberg over the past fortnight.

The Bundaberg Bears won the under-16 girls' division, while the Bundaberg Bulls also claimed the U-14 boys' title, although on percentages after both they and Rockhampton won eight of their 10 matches over the three rounds.

The first round was played at Rockhampton on November 12-13 with the second in Gladstone on December 3-4.

Bulls' teams also finished second to Gladstone in U-18 boys and Rockhampton in U-12 boys, and third behind Rockhampton and Gladstone in U-16 boys, while the only other Bears' side in the tournament was runner-up to Rockhampton in U-14 girls.

Petersen said by their victories, their U-16 girls and U-14 boys had won the right to compete in Division 1 in the state championships at the Clem Jones Sporting Centre in Brisbane at Easter, while their other four teams would battle it out in Division 2.

"The 16 girls are coached by (former Bears QBL coach) Mick Davies and there are some good players, such as Ashleigh Frampton and the multi-talented Jane Lester, who are currently in a state trial program and travel to Brisbane for squad trials, and Sharlyn Ferrar," Petersen said.

"The 14 boys are coached by (former Bulls QBL mentor Glenn Jenkins) and they won the U-12 Division 2 at the state championships last year and they have a lot coming through in the bottom age up a division this season.

"Isaiah Richardson was their top scorer, while their most aggressive was Manuel Ostrofski and Bailey Jenkins also played very well.

"The overall results compare more than favourably with previous years - we are moving forward and able to field more teams in more divisions - we previously did not have an U-12 side but it was great to see the 12 boys do so well.

"Hopefully we'll have an U-12 girls next year and hopefully enough girls for an U-18 team."

Petersen put their good results down to a couple of factors, headed by "improved coaching".

"We've got some quality coaches in town now and Dean and Danny Page have both offered their time willingly to assist other coaches to improve their skills and the competitive nature of players," he said.

"We have also made full use of the new expanded facility and the new covered outside courts provided by flood relief funding have increased training opportunities.

"Two of our volunteers also make it happen - court marshall Wendy Sinclair and secretary Kerri Savidge made sure the tournaments ran smoothly."