Duke’s golden global run

Wangaratta basketballer Duke Mendoza has returned home from a highly successful run of international tournaments in recent months. The 11-year-old represented Victoria at the Global Hoops International Showcase in the Philippines from March to April as the only regional Victorian player in the Melbourne-wide MIC Australian team. Duke led his team to an undefeated 5-0 record averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists, and eight steals per game capturing the 12 and under division championship gold medal. He even had his own ‘flu game’, pushing through illness in the grand final to score 17 points. “It was surreal, all the hard work was worth it seeing how far the team went,” he said. Shortly after, Duke and his eight-year-old brother, Ace, travelled to Shanghai, China, to represent the Philippines Team as Australian grassroots players in the BIYB 2026 International Youth Basketball Championship League. Duke and his team took out the 12 and under division gold championship and the MVP, making him a back-to-back winner of the award. “Going back to China was nostalgic and more challenging as people expected more of me as I was last years MVP in the Asia Youth Championship League in Beijing. Ace also brought home a bronze medal in the 10 and under division. Following his success in China, Duke’s performance caught the eye of three former NBA players who invited him to an exclusive MVP League training camp in Hong Kong. He and Ace then excelled in the junior MPBL play-offs in the Philippines, where Duke won both "best player of the game" and "best defensive player”. Back home, Duke has just begun a 5-month stint training with the Victorian Future Development Program (FDP) Academy.

Duke’s golden global run

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