The next intake of elite Victorian junior players has taken place with the selection of the 2020/2021 Victorian National Performance Pathway (VNPP) scholarships.
The best country and metropolitan Under-16/Under-18 athletes are selected for the VNPP to improve their skills and enhance their development.
VNPP is tailored to develop high–calibre athletes that will head towards elite representation at the national level and into professional opportunities in Australia and abroad. 51 players have been selected as part of the VNPP’s second intake, following a successful completion of the inaugural program across 2019/2020.
These players have been awarded scholarships after being identified by our High Performance Head Coaches as having the potential to represent Australia in the future.
Many have already showcased their skills in the national and international arena with selected for junior Australian teams alongside plenty of appearances in Victoria Country and Victoria Metropolitan sides.
Overseeing the program will be Basketball Victoria’s four High Performance Head Coaches – Zoe Car, Jenni Screen, Nathan Cooper-Brown and Ash Arnott – which grants scholarship holders an incredible opportunity according toGeneral Manager – High Performance and Pathways Grant Wallace.
“The VNPP is an amazing program as we get to see the sheer number of Victorian rising stars take big steps from being impressive juniors to elite senior representatives ready for collegiate and professional basketball,” Wallace said. “As seen with Jade Melbourne lighting up the WNBL in her debut season and Josh Giddey beginning his NBL career at Adelaide, the talent pathway in Victorian basketball is full of elite players.
“Every chance we get to add to these players’ skillsets and build on their impressive talents is an opportunity we’re excited to take.
“While 2020 has been difficult across the board, not just within basketball itself, we’re looking forward to getting our athletes back on court regularly in late 2020 and 2021 with this program and many others like it from Basketball Victoria.”
The VNPP athletes are also part of Basketball Victoria’s High Performance Hubs, located at 10 centres throughout Victoria – Ballarat, Bendigo, Broadmeadows, Casey, Geelong, MSAC, Shepparton, State Basketball Centre,Traralgon, Wyndham – which were brought to life by the Victorian Government’s $5 million contribution in the 2019/20 Victorian Budget.
For further information on Basketball Victoria’s High Performance pathways and programs, including Under-12 Country Skills Days, Regional Under-14 Academy and State Development Program, please visit our website.
VICTORIAN NATIONAL PLAYER PROGRAM INVITEES – 2020/2021
VICTORIA COUNTRY GIRLS
Name – Association
Dallas Loughridge – Traralgon / Dandenong
Dyani Ananiev – Seymour / Eltham
Isabel Whitelaw – Shepparton
Sienna Harvey – Geelong
Kyra Webb – Southern Peninsula
Tanielle Knight – Geelong
Jaime Gallatly – Maffra
VICTORIA COUNTRY BOYS
Name – Association
Jett Garnham – Wonthaggi
Ben Waller – Traralgon
Nate Hargrave – Geelong
Zac McInnes – Geelong
Jesse Ombega – Geelong
Ned Renfree – Ballarat
Garang Dengdit – Melton
Alex Molan – Ballarat
Jack Connolly – Geelong
Martin Steen – Bendigo
Tom Field – Southern Peninsula
Tom Briggs – Wangaratta
Fletcher Burger – Ballarat
Lucas Impey – Ballarat
Lachlan Smith – Dandenong
Ben Forsyth – Southern Peninsula
Jack Hrehoresen – Maffra
Darcy Jones – Southern Peninsula
Macey Eaton – Bendigo
VICTORIA METROPOLITAN GIRLS
Name – Association
Tess Heal – Keilor
Teah Reichert – Keilor
Holly Griffiths – Bulleen
Sophie Burrows – Diamond Valley
Amy Kurkowski – Hawthorn
Amy O’Hara – Hawthorn
Hannah Wickstrom – Sandringham
Lucy Dexter – Casey
Dakota Crichton – Casey
Isla Airey – Sandringham
Bonnie Deas – Frankston
Georgia Mcbean – Hawthorn
VICTORIA METROPOLITAN BOYS
Name – Association
AJ Magbegor– Coburg
Beau Tranter – Dandenong
Blake Shankland – Casey
Daniel Poelsma – Bulleen
Ethan Bolton – Casey
Jackson Harding – Diamond Valley
Jensen Bradtke – Sandringham
Jesse Mcintosh – Hawthorn
Kai Garnant – Melbourne
Kristian Ferronato – Eltham
Phoenix Windsor – Hawthorn
Tristan Devers – Nunawading
Zahn Agosta – Eltham
