TOM HAYES
BASKETBALL
By TOM HAYES TRARALGON youngster Hugo Macpherson made his mark on the junior basketball stage, when he competed for Dandenong at the 2023 National Junior Classic across June 10, 11 and 12. The competition brings the best 16 teams of each age group from around the country, setting them up against each other in a round robin format, followed by finals. Throughout the event, held at Dandenong Stadium, there was boys and girls competitions ranging from under 12s, U14s, U16s, up to U18s, so there was always something to watch. This competition is the highest level of junior basketball in the country. Hugo has played basketball for the last four years, beginning in U8s at Traralgon before joining Dandenong in the Victorian Junior Basketball League for 2023 on top of his Traralgon commitments. He plays in the U12s division, and shows promise as a guard too, proving there is still room for growth in his game. Taking place over the King’s Birthday long weekend, Dandenong had qualified for the National Junior Classic and were drawn into Pool D, where they would face off against Sandringham, Bankstown and North Adelaide. Dandenong’s first game against the Bankstown Bruins was a walk in the park, as Hugo and his teammates won comfortably by 40 points, 80-40. Hugo contributed to the score, adding eight points of his own. They were stopped in their tracks in the second pool game, going down to the North Adelaide Rockets by 27 points, 87-60. Hugo top-scored for his side, scoring 17 points, but because of the loss, Dandenong’s chances of qualification came down to the last game. And they got the job done, defeating Sandringham by 21 points, 59-38. Hugo only managed five points here, but his tournament was just about to start. As they entered the finals, Dandenong qualified as a second-place team from their pool, so their upcoming games would be tough. First up was the Sturt Sabres who finished top of Pool A, without losing a game so far. Dandenong took it to them, and after a tense first half, they held a two-point lead. Sturt then had at the lead, up by four points with a quarter to go, before Dandenong finished strong to win by five points, 58-53. Hugo not only top-scored for Dandenong but top-scored for the game with 21 points, including two three-pointers. In the semi-finals, Dandenong would face Casey, who, like Dandenong, finished second yet had advanced against an undefeated side. Dandenong proved to be far too strong, outscoring Casey in each quarter but the last to win by nine points, 57-48. Once again, Hugo top-scored for his Dandenong side with 14 points, again with two three-pointers. Moving into the Grand Final, Dandenong would meet their Pool D rivals once again, the North Adelaide Rockets. It was a big spectacle, names on the big scoreboard, broadcasted live to YouTube, hundreds of people in the stands – this was the big time. Hugo had his whole family there to watch him play in what was one of the biggest games of his young career. “It was a huge buzz, they even introduced the kids one-by-one out onto the court, like you’d see at an NBL or NBA game,” Hugo’s dad Bill Macpherson said. “It was an electric atmosphere, plenty of North Adelaide supporters there, plenty of Dandenong (supporters), and others too.” But unfortunately, just like the last time they played, the Rockets were far too strong. The margin hit 20 points at halftime, before stretching out to 24 with a quarter to play. Dandenong dragged the final margin back to 23 points, but ultimately finished the event in second place, following their 66-43 Grand Final loss. Hugo was the leading scorer once again for Dandenong and for the Grand Final, despite the result, scoring 18 points including two more threes. For the whole event, Hugo led Dandenong in scoring with 83 points, the next best scored 20 points less. This landed him seventh for scoring throughout the whole competition, an impressive feat, as well as scoring the sixth-most amount of three-pointers across the three days of competition. “For us it’s about giving your kids the best opportunity that they can, if you’re playing at that high level that’s where you need to be,” Bill said. “For kids to play on that stage, it was awesome for them. “To see them commit to something and dedicate themselves to being the best that they can, it obviously makes you feel very proud as a parent.” There are plenty of pathways that Hugo can still opt to take as he gets older and continues to play basketball, but for now he will be focussing on playing every chance he gets. Hugo is quite the all-rounder too, playing Aussie Rules football and is the captain for South Side’s U11s side in the Traralgon and District Junior Football League, kicking 30 goals in eight games so far this season. Traralgon T-Birds were represented at the event too, coming fifth in the U12 boys.
