HAMILTON Basketball Association stars, Emily Iredell, Yolanda O’Sullivan and Zanda Ewing, have gained selection for higher honours after taking part in the Basketball Victoria coaching academy

Eight young athletes have been under the tutelage of veteran coach, Nathan Manley, who brings 30 years of coaching experience to the academy.

Manley took over from another veteran coach in Adam Jennings, who had been working with these players for a number of years before 2023, and the pair have done a magnificent job in honing the skills of participants.

To get to this stage, the players all come together in Hamilton from across the south-west, with up to 80 players being selected for the initial session.

The squad is whittled down to 20 players at a skills day, both boys and girls, where they undertake 20 hours of specialised training under Manley.

These players come together for two camps in Hamilton, where they are put through their paces and from there a squad of only eight players is selected.

Of these players, seven were selected to trial for higher honours with Iredell and O’Sullivan picked for the Southern Cross Challenge which is a tournament for some of the best players in their age group from across Australia that is held in Melbourne,

Ewing gained selection for the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup which is held in Albury in January 2024, involving the best players from Australia and New Zealand.

“The academy is set up by Basketball Victoria with players coming to Hamilton from across South West Victoria,” Manley said.