Organisers were overjoyed at the turnout for last weekend’s Wangaratta Junior basketball tournament, with more than 8000 people through the doors at WSAC across the two days of competition.

Hosted by Wangaratta Basketball Inc for the first time since the stadium upgrades, 126 teams from across the North East and further afield took the courts in Wangaratta, Benalla and Myrtleford.

After being forced to host their tournament in Wodonga over the last few years, WBI president Adam Maher said it was good to be back home and giving back to the local community.

“We ran a really good tournament, we’ve got lots of great feedback already,” he said.

“A lot of work leading up to it, obviously, and lots and lots of volunteers to make all of the working cogs join together and roll around, but it was excellent.

“We had over 8000 through the door across the weekend, well up [on what was expected] – I probably underestimated it a little bit at the start, I was pretty conservative.

“That’s a fantastic thing, not only for Wangaratta basketball and the basketball community, but for the wider Wangaratta community, the business community.

“I’ve spoken to a few businesses who said they were flat out - there were a few events on but certainly there were a few basketball jerseys running around the main street and at cafes.”

While the facilities purely in Wangaratta were exceptional, the tournament still had to utilise Myrtleford and Benalla courts, such was its popularity.

Maher said the collaboration between the three basketball association was second to none.

“There are some challenges around that, there’s no doubt about that, from our point of view, from the teams’ point of view.

“We were trying to do our very best to make sure people aren’t running all over the place, I was very focussed on having Wangaratta as the hub, and people going from Wangaratta to Myrtleford or Wangaratta to Benalla, rather than Myrtleford to Benalla.

“We worked really hard, we had barbecues at every location, we had people running around doing marshalling and that sort of thing.

“I want to reiterate how appreciative I am of all of our Wangaratta volunteers who made it what it was.”

On the court, Wangaratta had three teams make grand finals, but it was the under 12 boys division one team who would salute for the hosts, taking out the grand final in a one-point thriller against Wodonga.

Trailing by seven points with a quarter to play, Wangaratta managed to outscore the Wolves 15-7 to take the title 37-36.

The under 10 boys went down in the grand final to Mansfield 12-29, while the under 18 boys division one side lost to Wodonga 43-58.

Maher said he hoped the tournament can continue to grow in coming years, and continue to reward the investment in expanding basketball facilities in Wangaratta.

“Hopefully it gives some confidence in the council when we go and say we probably need some more courts,” he said.

“It’s one thing for the basketball to say it’s bigger than Ben-Hur here, this sport is taking off, to get some real numbers and figures to back up what we’re saying I think it a good thing as well.”

Wangaratta will host another tournament for under 10s, under 12s, and under 14s in March.