Wangaratta Warriors under 12 boys revelling in Junior Country Champs success

A month on, and the smiles haven’t faded – Wangaratta Warriors under 12 boys are still division two champions, and ninth in the state. The Warriors fought their way to the top of division two in April’s Junior Country Championships held in Bendigo. Taking on some of the top regional teams from across Victoria, the Warriors combined grit, teamwork and composure to produce one of the club’s most memorable junior tournament performances. The opening day set the tone, with strong wins over Warrnambool and Mildura before the boys pushed eventual state champions Maffra, going down by just eight points in a spirited contest. The results placed Wangaratta in the division one/two crossover pool heading into day two. Day two proved a test of resilience - a narrow three-point loss to Warragul was followed by a composed win over Melton to keep finals hopes alive. In their final pool match, the Warriors went toe-to-toe with a powerful Ballarat outfit, narrowly missing victory in another high-quality encounter. Despite the close losses, Wangaratta secured a place in the division two finals. On finals day, the Warriors lifted again - they opened with a convincing 43–30 win over Wonthaggi before overcoming Hamilton 45–38 in a hard-fought semi-final to book a place in the grand final. The decider against Surf Coast didn’t start to plan, with Wangaratta trailing 6–19 early, however, led by Eli Cassidy, Max Patterson and Oscar Primmer, the team clawed its way back into the contest to trail by just four points at half-time, 19–23. Surf Coast again jumped out to a seven-point lead early in the second half, but the Warriors refused to yield. Playing their ninth game in three days, the group dug deep, lifted their defensive intensity and surged late to overrun their opponents and claim a thrilling 47–41 victory. Cassidy led the scoring with 16 points, while Patterson added 12 in a standout team performance built on discipline, pressure defence and composure in crucial moments. Head coach Rohan Cassidy, assistant coach Harry Pople and all supporters praised the group’s resilience and unity across the tournament, highlighting the players’ willingness to support each other and rise to every challenge. The ninth-place finish overall places Wangaratta among the top junior teams in regional Victoria and underlines the strength of the local basketball program. “Wangaratta is very proud of the under 12 group’s achievements, they have been a hard working team throughout the tournament season,” Wangaratta Basketball Inc president Adam Maher said. “It’s a great reward to get to Championships and end up with this result. “Wangaratta Basketball congratulates all the coaches, team managers and athletes on a great result for 2025-26 season and we look forward to seeing the future of these boys.”

Wangaratta Warriors under 12 boys revelling in Junior Country Champs success

Kings of the jungle once more, Whorouly seal gritty grand final win

It's another derby decider as Rovers overpower Saints

Whorouly’s Invincibles: Lions A grade cap off the perfect season

Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 11 September, 2026

Most popular stories

Kings of the jungle once more, Whorouly seal gritty grand final win

It's another derby decider as Rovers overpower Saints

Whorouly’s Invincibles: Lions A grade cap off the perfect season

Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 11 September, 2026