Next generation of stars named for Under-17 FIBA Oceania Championships

Basketball Australia has announced the men's and women’s teams that will play in the 2017 FIBA Oceania Under-17 Championships in July.

After Victoria dominated at the recent Australian Under-18 Championships, it comes as no surprise the state is highly represented in both squads. Four Victorians will suit up for the men, including Josh Kunan, Keli Leaupepe, Sean MacDonald and Tyler Robertson. Of that group, Leaupepe, MacDonald and Robertson played in Vic Metro’s title winning team at the U18 Championships.

Three Victorians make up the women’s squad, including two members of the victorious Vic Country team at the U18 Champs – Chelsea D’Angelo and Jazmin Shelley. Maddi Puli, a Vic Metro player, is the third of the Victorian contingent.

Queensland is also a staple of both teams. The foursome of Callum Dalton, Samson Froling, Aiden Krause and Kody Stattman has been selected for the men, while the women have the duo of Grace George and Miela Goodchild.

Isabelle Bourne (Australian Capital Territory), Emma Clarke (Western Australia), Shyla Heal (New South Wales), Darcy Rees (South Australia) and Sam Simons (South Australia) round out the women’s team.

The men’s side is completed by Kyle Bowen (Western Australia) and Isaiah Lee (New South Wales).

There was a long process to narrow down on the final teams, as extended squads were identified at the U18 tournament. From there, individual efforts at the Australian Development Camp in January, combined with other high performance programs, were the deciding factors.

Men’s coach, Darren Perry, and women’s coach, Tracy York, have been tasked with guiding Australia through the Oceania Championships.

The event marks the first stage in FIBA’s new qualification system for the 2019 Under-19 World Championships. It is the first challenge Australia has to overcome, before embarking on the FIBA Asia Under-18 Championships, where success there will see them qualify for the World Championships.

Both teams will assemble in Guam for mini-camps before the tournament tips off.

The women’s first battle is against Tahiti on July 10, while the men prepare to face New Caledonia on the same day.

Under-17 Australian Women First Name Surname State Isabelle Bourne ACT Emma Clarke WA Chelsea D’Angelo VIC Grace George QLD Miela Goodchild QLD Shyla Heal NSW Maddi Puli VIC Darcy Rees SA Jazmin Shelley VIC Sam Simons SA Under-17 Australian Men First Name Surname State Kyle Bowen WA Callum Dalton QLD Samson Froling QLD Aiden Krause QLD Josh Kunan VIC Keli Leaupepe VIC Isaiah Lee NSW Sean MacDonald VIC Tyler Robertson VIC Kody Stattman QLD