THE junior representative basketball season is well and truly here, and for Wangaratta Warriors, it came with glory. Played out over the AFL grand final weekend, the Warriors fielded 15 sides from under 12s through to the under 18s age group, with several sides recording brilliant results. The Warriors made the under 12 division one competition their own, soaring into the grand final and defeating home team Echuca Pirates 46-34 to claim the title. Wangaratta only dropped one game on their way to the decider, a 29-30 nail-biter against Wodonga, but had no trouble dispatching the Pirates, with Duke Mendoza, Max Patterson and Eli Cassidy impacting the scoreboard. The under 18 boys overcame two losses to make the grand final in the division one bracket, and triumphed in their decider. The Warriors rectified a one-point loss to Shepparton with a 49-28 win in the semi-final, and a 13-point loss to Wodonga to claim the title from the Wolves 33-28. Wangaratta was also present in the under 18 boys division two decider, after a top two finish in their pool and a pair of handy wins in the finals. Unfortunately, opponents Tartura proved too strong, downing the Warriors 29-24. In other divisions, the Warriors performed well, but didn’t advance past the semi-final stage. The Warriors will be hard at work preparing for their future tournaments, with the annual Geelong tournament set for a November 1 start.
