BASKETBALL

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

BE patient, work hard, and reap the rewards.

Morwell basketballer Marley Alimpic will lead the Under 16 Victoria Country Women’s side in their 2025 National Championship aspirations next month as team captain.

Shooting hoops at the age of seven, Marley quickly developed a love for the game, which began at the Morwell Basketball Association.

“I was fast but I was so small, (so) I could barely reach the ring when I shot and I would foul a lot,” she said.

Marley credits junior coach Jerome Fourlze in shaping her as a player, coaching from under 12s through to U16s.

“I feel so lucky to have had Jerome’s support and guidance over the years, he believed in me when others didn’t and always pushed me to reach my full potential,” she said.

“I wouldn’t be the player I am today without him.”

Once U14s rolled around, Marley tried her luck at local VJBL (Victorian Junior Basketball League) club Gippsland United, where she played for two seasons in the state’s top junior level.

In 2023, Marley moved to fellow VJBL club Casey Cavaliers to further her development, with her U16 team finishing top two in the state with her as a bottom-age player.

A clear upward trajectory was playing out for the young rising star, and Marley was invited to try out for the U16 Vic Country Women’s side at the state combine, and was selected as one of two bottom-age players in the squad.

“This was one of my most proudest moments in my basketball journey,” she said.

At the 2024 U16 National Championships, Vic Country finished in fifth-place, with Marley calling it “an amazing experience to play against the best players in the country.”

Despite a great run up until that point, adversity struck Marley last October, as a painful disc bulge kept her side-lined from basketball for three months following on from the highest of stages played.

“This was a huge setback and it has been a challenge to physically and mentally recover from this injury,” she said.

Through resilience and determination, Marley worked diligently week-after-week to get herself back to the best of her ability, and was again selected to the U16 Vic Country Women’s team – this time as team captain.

“(This was) a huge honour, especially considering this is voted on by my teammates,” she said.

As a state team, training was never going to be locally, almost every weekend was spent travelling to places like Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong to mix with teammates and coaches. This, of course, wouldn’t be possible without two special people.

“I am so lucky to have parents who support me,” she said.

The 2025 Under 16 National Championships takes place in Bendigo from July 4 to 13.

Traralgon’s Fletcher Adams and Moe’s Seth Fozard were also selected for the Victoria Country Men’s side for the national tournament.