THERE was plenty of success for the Hamilton Hurricanes over the weekend at the 2021 Hamilton Junior Basketball Tournament, as four local teams won their age group grand finals.

The tournament wrapped up with the Under-18A Boys, Under-16 Girls, Under-14A Girls and the Under-12A Girls all winning their age groups and taking home the top honour.

Games were played on Saturday and Sunday at a number of venues including Hamilton Indoor Leisure and Aquatic Centre (HILAC), The Hamilton and Alexandra College (THAC) and Monivae College.

The town was buzzing with 77 teams coming from all around to compete in what was practically the first tournament back anywhere since COVID-19 put a stop to them.

Hamilton Basketball Association (HBA) squad coordinator, Pene Baker said all involved were really pleased with the turnout.

“It all went really well, there was lots of positive feedback, apparently just around town there were so many positives,” Baker said.

“It was great and really good to get back into it, obviously for the town itself and the kids to get back playing … (the Hamilton teams) went really well and all had a great time.

“There were 77 teams in the end, there was 78 but one pulled out last minute and we didn’t have time to change the draw so just had to run that age group as a forfeit.”

Baker said the QR code and check-ins had worked well and was grateful to have spectators back allowing the kids to have courtside support from family and friends.

“Everyone was excited, even with grandparents being able to come and watch the kids for the first time in a such a long time,” she said.

“The standard was really good actually, the coaches seemed really pleased with the … competition.”

Baker said it felt like a lot of hard work that the HBA and tournament committee had put over the past few months had paid off.

Under-18A Boys

Top-scorer – Josh Miller (65 points).

Position – Winner.

HAMILTON Hurricanes Under-18 Boys team opened its tournament in a strong fashion scoring quickly and causing all sorts of problems for the Redbacks’ defenders winning 56-20.

Josh Miller had no trouble getting to the lane as he capitalised on the struggling defence and hit the scoreboard during the game, adding 13 points.

Izack Mayfield (nine points), Deacon White (eight points) and Tom Calvert (eight points) all made solid contributions to the scoreboard in the opening game.

The next game was another comfortable win to the Hurricanes, winning 50-18 against Maryborough.

It was the Miller show in game two of the tournament as he did it all, dropping four big shots from downtown, going to the line and taking his defender to the basket on his way to 20 points.

The Hurricanes moved the ball too quickly and well for the Blazers generating quick scores on the way to a 32-point win, Deacon White played a good role with 10 points.

Round three was a 41-31 victory against Warrnambool Green to extend the winning streak.

After beating the two bottom teams to begin the tournament, this game was the first real challenge of the 2021 tournament.

White showed his consistency, adding another 11 points to his tournament points tally and provided the muscle and grunt that the team needed as they ran over the top of Warrnambool.

The penultimate game of the round robin format saw the locals defeat Warrnambool White, 37-31.

Confidence was high in the Hurricanes, as they approached their clash against the other Warrnambool side in the top division.

Bailey Cooper had a breakout game for the tournament, dropping 12 points and pulling down plenty of rebounds to give his side the upper hand.

The final game before finals and still sitting undefeated, the Hurricanes made light work of the Coasters, controlling the entire game to win, 41-26.

White led the scoring with 12 and was well assisted by Miller, who chipped in with nine, while young Josh Hallam splashed two three-pointers.

A rematch against Warrnambool Green awaited Hamilton in the decider, as the Hurricanes went in with a perfect record, while Green’s only loss was to the locals.

It was back and forwards with Hamilton managing to get out to a handy little lead, but Warrnambool went on a scoring run and it looked as though they could pinch the win with some brilliance from Zac Ellemor.

However, Jennings hit a three to put the nail in the coffin and Miller splashed one shortly after to push the close game out to a non-reflective nine points, as Jennings finished with a game-high 13 points.

Under-16A Boys

Top-scorer – Matt Calvert (75 points).

Position – Runner-up.

THE Hurricanes opened their campaign with a 48-39 victory against Horsham.

Zac Elliott (15 points) and Matt Calvert (14 points) led their side to the nine-point win against the Hornets, in a positive start to the weekend.

Calvert was crucial under the ring as he regularly pulled down defensive boards, and at the offensive end continually pulled them down and put them straight back in the bucket.

A round two bye freshened the group up for Warrnambool Blue in the third round.

Austin Mayfield’s 22 points helped the locals to a 53-30 win, while Elliott continued his impressive form with 15 points.

Mayfield knocked down two from the perimeter as well as finding his way to the ring and drawing fouls, taking the game away from his opponents.

The fourth round was a tight encounter, as Hamilton held on against Terang, 31-30.

Calvert continued his dominant tournament and scoring 19 of his team’s 31 points, as the big man dominated the paint to score plenty from under the ring.

This morale-boosting win gave the boys confidence they could take it all the way and beat whoever stood between them and winning the big dance.

A 50-44 round five win against the Coasters kept morale high, thanks to Hugh Fitzgerald’s 20-point effort, setting up a semi-final against Warrnambool Blue.

Elliott and Calvert both put up 11 points each to help Hamilton to a 48-40 win.

Mayfield made his defenders pay when they left him open as he converted on two three-pointers for the game.

Having won five games and already beaten Horsham in round one, the Hamilton outfit knew it had what it took to win the tournament but couldn’t deliver on the big stage, as the Hornets held on to win the decider by eight points, 41-33.

With five players for a long part of the game, Horsham worked hard to stay with Hamilton and the game was evenly poised for the most part.

Calvert helped keep the scores relatively close throughout the game, responding to Horsham brilliance with some of his own with 12 points.

A couple of three-pointers from Mayfield and scores from Elliott set them up to win the game, but shots didn’t drop when they needed them to, and the visitors ran away with the win.

Under-16B Boys

Top-scorer – Isaiah Baulch (28 points).

Position – Quarter-finalist.

THE Hurricanes kicked off their tournament in the Under-16 Boys B competition with a solid 11-point win against Casterton.

Thomas O’Sullivan came ready to play and didn’t waste any time as he made an instant impact for his team on the scoreboard dropping 11 points.

Maryborough was next on the schedule and the Blazers team handed the Hurricanes their first loss of the tournament, as they were too good across the court for the home side.

This time it was Isaiah Baulch who stood up for Hamilton, showing what he was capable of with 11 points.

The home team fell just four points short in its round three clash against Horsham Hornets, despite strong performances from Xavier White and Thomas O’Sullivan with 10 points each.

The Hurricanes took it right up to Horsham, but the Hornets always had a quick reply for any Hamilton brilliance and managed to hold the lead when the final buzzer went.

It pushed Hamilton into a quarter-final against Warrnambool White, a contest the Hurricanes ended up losing by 10 points, 18-28.

Baulch and White (six points each) fought hard to try and get the team over the line, but their efforts went unrewarded, as the team’s 2021 tournament campaign wrapped up.

Under-16 Girls

Top-scorer – Avreet Kaur (55 points).

Position – Winner.

THE Hurricanes opened their campaign with a forfeit from Border Sports, before facing off against Casterton in round two, winning 27-24.

Avreet Kaur was the difference for the home side, as she helped push her team into the lead with 13 points before the final buzzer sounded.

Warrnambool White was too good for Hamilton in round three, winning 32-28, in the Hurricanes’ first loss of the weekend.

Grace Cleaver fought hard for Hamilton, scoring nine points in an effort to get her team over the line, but it wasn’t enough as they fell four points short.

The Hurricanes took on Terang Tornadoes and made light work of them with an even spread of scorers proving to be the difference.

Almost every player for the Hurricanes hit the scoreboard, whereas the Tornadoes were relying solely on one player.

Maddison Cotten had a standout game with scored nine points, while Kaur (eight points) again contributed well under the ring.

Semi-finals don’t get any closer, as Hamilton and Portland played out a one-point thriller to decide who would advance to the grand final.

This was the ultimate test for the girls, and it took every effort from all players to get over the line and give themselves an opportunity to win the whole thing.

Hamilton moved the ball well and managed to convert on a couple threes from Cleaver and Cotton, while Kaur did what she does best using her height well to put up 12 points in the 29-28 win.

The locals faced Warrnambool White in the decider and it was a four-point turnaround from the round three loss which handed Hamilton Hurricanes a grand final medallion against Warrnambool White.

Despite losing last time the sides met, Hamilton was confident it could turn the ship around and get on top with an improved effort.

The Hurricanes came out and put together a strong two halves of basketball using everything they had learnt in round three – Kaur put on a clinic in a game deciding performance scoring a tournament high 16 points for her side in the 30-26 victory.

Under-14A Boys

Top-scorer – Jobe Dunn (32 points).

Position – Semi-finalist.

THE Hamilton Hurricanes started their 2021 campaign well accounting for Portland Coasters by 12 points, comfortably winning their first game, 39-27.

The scoring power was a prominent strength for Hamilton as they moved the ball well and split the defence apart.

A bye in the second round refreshed the group ahead of a round three clash against Warrnambool Green, a clash the Hurricanes lost, 25-30.

Despite a great offensive game from Hamilton’s Jobe Dunn, the Hurricanes were unable to get the win against Warrnambool Green, which did just enough to run away and win by five points.

Dunn notched up 13 points with some assistance from Ned Hintum (five points), who splashed a three which set the tone for the side.

It was another tough encounter in round four, this time against the Warrnambool Seahawks, losing by 19 points.

They were a well-drilled team and had many contributors throughout the game making it tough for the Hamilton defenders, as Riley Iredell did his best for the locals with six points.

A four-point loss to Terang in the next game put the Hurricanes on the back foot.

Dunn put up nine points, while Hintum converted from long range yet again in the 38-42 loss.

A semi-final loss to the Seahawks, 24-52 ended the Hurricanes’ campaign.

Despite a solid showing from Riley Iredell with six points, Hamilton Hurricanes were no match for the Seahawks, who showed why they won the grand final, dominating from the tip-off.

Under-14B Boys

Top scorer – Jay Casey (50 points)

Position – Semi-finalist

IT was a tough start for Hamilton who was no match for Maryborough, as the final margin blew out to a big 18-point loss on Saturday morning in the Under-14B Boys.

Jay Casey tried his hardest for the Hurricanes and found his way to the ring on multiple occasions on his way to scoring seven points.

The second game of the tournament was a highlight for the Hurricanes, smashing Portland by 32 points in a percentage booster.

Casey was again the main scorer for the home team, as he dropped 15 and competed hard helping give his side the edge from the start.

A team effort in round three which saw all players share the points and play well as a team was almost enough to get Hamilton Hurricanes over the line against Warrnambool White.

While Casey led the team with eight points, Oscar Elliott chipped in with six and Jono Stewart with four – the rest of the points were shared evenly.

It was finals basketball next, as the Hamilton boys took on the Port Fairy Pacers in the quarter-final, winning the nail-biter by three points.

Casey had another great game, putting up 10 points and playing a key role in his side advancing to the semi-finals.

It was against Maryborough in the semi-final game where the Hurricanes’ tournament came to an end, as the Blazers proved why they would go on to win the grand final, comfortably beating Hamilton by 29 points.

Casey added another 10 points on to his successful scoring tournament but needed more contributors on the scoreboard as they slumped to their second loss against the Blazers.

Darcy Milne (six points) and Huge Prentice (five points) finished their tournaments strong from an individual perspective scoring well in the final game.

Under-14A Girls

Top scorer – Saskia Gould (97 points)

Position - Winner

THE Hurricanes started the first game against Terang Tornadoes well and showed they would be a team to beat running away with the win, 31-16.

Saskia Gould had no trouble finding her way to the ring, dropping 11 points for the home side in a game-high scoring performance.

Round two was a smashing, as Hamilton won by a staggering 60 points against Port Fairy Pacers Purple with Gould leading the pack with 20 points.

Charlize Cooper, Holly Rook and Molly Sevior all drained 10 points with each of them showing they were capable at the offensive end.

It was another cruisy game for Hamilton as it dealt with Warrnambool White, 45-9, thanks to back-to-back 10-point games from Rook and another 10 points from Gould.

The visitors were no match for the relentless Hurricanes, who continued to surge forward and pass the ball well to get open shots.

Port Fairy Pacers Yellow got blown out of the water in the quarter-final match against Hamilton Hurricanes with the final scoreboard reading 61-2.

Gould (23 points) continued her consistent tournament with help from another contributor in Lily Raymond (17 points) who stepped up and dominated the game.

The semi-final was the first time that Hamilton didn’t have everything its way, as a solid Warrnambool White team pushed them early on in the game.

It didn’t phase the Hurricanes as they put the burners on and ran away with a comfortable 23-point win, thanks to another standout game from Gould (18 points).

A two-point thriller handed Hamilton Hurricanes the grand final win against Terang Tornadoes who threw everything at the home side but fell agonisingly short.

While the Tornadoes scored evenly across the board, it was Cooper and Gould who took the game into their own hands as together they scored 29 of the team’s 34 points.

Under-12A Boys

Top scorer – Oliver Winnell (84 points)

Position – Runner-up

HAMILTON Hurricanes kicked off round one with a massive win against the Portland Coasters, 47-22, with Beau Brian the standout performer for the home side with 16 points.

Round two saw them face one of their toughest games against Warrnambool Blue, which ended in a nail-biting finish, as the visitors came home strong to tie it up and had free throws to win the game but missed.

Oliver Winnell got plenty of quick breaks on his way to scoring nine points, while Zanda Ewing was good under the ring for eight.

The Hurricanes got back on the winners list, smashing Port Fairy Pacers by 24 points thanks to another dominant performance from Winnell, who couldn’t miss as he scored a huge 18 points.

Hamilton destroyed a struggling Casterton side in round five by 60 points, as Winnell (17 points) and Brian (16 points) combined to have a great day out.

The defensive Hamilton unit kept Koroit Saints to just four points in round five, breaking apart their defence and scoring 37 points on the rebound – Brian top scored with 11 points.

Finals basketball meant it would be a challenge for the Hurricanes when they met Warrnambool Green, but Winnell had other ideas, troubling the scorers with 15 points as he guided his side to a six point win and saw them through to the grand final.

Warrnambool Seahawks were a class above for the Hamilton boys in the grand final, as they had a solution for whatever the home team through at them, Brian fought hard with 10 points but they fell short at the final buzzer, 18-39.

Under-12B Boys

Top scorer – Connor Crawford (15 points)

Position – Fifth

THE Hamilton Hurricanes Under-12B Boys had a tough tournament going winless but will take plenty of positives out of the experience and will come back bigger and better next year.

They faced a tough introduction to the tournament in the Warrnambool Seahawks, losing by a huge margin of 64 points with the final score 73-9 – Knox Picken top-scored for the home side with three points.

In round three following the bye, they came back refreshed and managed to generate good scoring opportunities, but Warrnambool Green were just a little bit more effective on the day winning, 47-28.

This was Hamilton’s best game in terms of points scored and if they had held stopped a few more scoring entries from Warrnambool, they would’ve been in for a really good chance - Connor Crawford had a great game despite the loss as he scored 12 points.

In a low-scoring affair, Maryborough Blazers did enough to overcome the Hurricanes in round four holding on to win 24-11 at the final buzzer – Hamilton’s scoring was led by Picken with four points.

The final game of their 2021 tournament campaign was against the Terang Tornadoes who proved to be too strong as they won 27-9.

Harry Button was a huge positive to come out of the game as he had his best game for the entire tournament scoring five points and leading his team’s offensive efforts.

Under-12A Girls

Top scorer – Emily Iredell (52 points)

Position - Winner

THE Under-12A Girls had a tournament to remember as they went undefeated and won the grand final in a close game against Warrnambool Mermaids.

The Hurricanes started the tournament well, beating one of the other strongest teams in the competition in Warrnambool Mermaids 19-12.

Yolanda O’Sullivan and Emily Iredell both had great games leading the scoring for their team with eight points each.

Hamilton recorded a big win in round two against Portland Coasters 34-10 thanks to a dominant performance from Iredell who starred with 21 points.

Round three saw the Hurricanes register another win taking them to a 3-0 start beating Warrnambool Blue 31-11 on Saturday.

O’Sullivan put her best foot forward as she capitalised on Warrnambool’s loose defence and took the ball to the basket time and time again finishing with 13 points.

In the semi-final, Hamilton matched up against Warrnambool Blue for the second consecutive time and won even bigger than the last keeping the visitors to just three points for the game - Iredell was a force to be reckoned with scoring 10 points in the win.

It all came down to the grand final against Warrnambool Mermaids and having just beaten them by seven points in round one, they knew it would be a close game.

The lead went back and forth throughout the game, but it was the Hurricanes that led by three points when the final buzzer went, a seven-point game from Willow Colliton couldn’t have come at a better time for Hamilton as they won 20-17.

Under-12B Girls

Top scorer – Evie Milne (46 points)

Position – Third

THE tournament got off to the ideal start for the Under-12B Girls as they recorded an easy win against Warrnambool Green in round one 49-26.

Tatum Bell had a day out for the Hurricanes as she dropped 22 points and scored from all areas of the court to put her team in the box seat.

Round two was a close game and Hamilton was unlucky to be on the wrong side of the outcome going down to Terang Tornadoes by six points – Evie Milne had a great game with eight points.

Another close game in round three saw the Hurricanes go 2-1 in the tournament as they beat Warrnambool White 17-13 thanks to scoring duo, Bell and Milne dropping six points each.

Hamilton faced Casterton in round four and scored a huge 39 points to win by 13 with Milne causing havoc for the Casterton defenders on her way to 21 points.

The final game of their tournament was a clash with Maryborough Blazers and didn’t go the way they would’ve hoped as the Blazers dominated from the first buzzer beating them 39-1 – Leni Robertson scored the single point for the home team.

Hamilton finished in third position on the ladder with a solid 3-2 record and just missed out on a top two spot which would’ve rewarded them with a spot in the grand final.