BASKETBALL

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

FRANKLY a given at this point.

Traralgon’s Will Hamilton will lead the Under 18 Victoria Country men’s squad, as they look for a repeat at the National Championships in April.

The Australian Institute of Sport athlete (now called the Centre of Excellence) was a decisive factor in Vic Country breaking a 35-year gold medal drought at last year’s tournament, dominating against some kids that were two years older than him.

Hamilton was one of many Latrobe Valley players to feature at the Australian Country Junior Championship, including eight from Traralgon, highlighted by a gold medal for the U18 Victoria Goldminers, with Hamilton and fellow Traralgon junior Fletcher Adams.

Adams was also named as one of five emergencies for the U18 Vic Country squad ahead of the nationals.

Traralgon’s Avaya Mittelmajer (U14 girls) and Morwell’s Marley Alimpic (U18 girls) also earned the top medal in their respective grades for the Goldminers.

Alimpic was named as one of four emergencies for the U18 Vic Country women’s squad.

Last year, the Morwell junior was team captain of the U16 Vic Country girls, finishing third at the national competition.

With two FIBA gold medals and a silver medal under his belt since his last outing at nationals, Hamilton will undoubtedly be one of the stars of the show when the best in the country arrive at Moreton Bay, Queensland in a few month’s time.

The Traralgon junior, just 16-years-of-age at the time, put up 17 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists in a nine-point grand final win over New South Wales Metro.

Hamilton has packed a lot in over the last 12 months, including representing Australia twice in the one calendar year at the FIBA U16 Asia Cup and FIBA Oceania Cup.

The former international venture resulted in a second gold medal, following an outstanding first-time outing at the 2024 FIBA U15 Oceania Cup where he received MVP (Most Valuable Player) honours.

When it was announced late last year that Hamilton would be joining the CoE program, he put himself on a path to potentially follow the likes of Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, fellow Traralgon export Jade Melbourne, and Mirboo North’s Belinda Snell

The U18 National Championships take place at Moreton Bay, Queensland from April 12 to April 19.