BASKETBALL
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
AHEAD of his fourth time representing his country, Traralgon’s Will Hamilton begins duties with the Australian Crocs Under 17 national team next month.
Squads were confirmed ahead of the Crocs’ first training camp, running in the second week of March (8-11), as players get their first opportunities to gel with one another in preparation for the FIBA U17 World Cup in June.
A part of Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, Hamilton has been working vigorously ahead of his fourth international campaign.
The Traralgon junior has won two gold medals, each at the U15 and U16 FIBA Asia Cup tournaments in 2024 and 2025, while also claiming a silver medal in his last outing back in December at the U17 Oceania Cup in Samoa.
Hamilton and his squad will undoubtably be fuelled to get back to the top, but will see the best competition they’ve faced yet at the World Cup.
Previous medals for Hamilton came in continental tournaments, while he now faces off against the globe’s best, including the United States, China and France.
The US has won gold at every iteration of the World Cup dating back to 2010 (seven consecutive gold medals), and are undefeated with a 51-0 record in tournament history.
Australia is drawn in Group D, initially playing off against Venezuela, Serbia, and West African nation Cote d’Ivoire.
The FIBA U17 World Cup takes places from June 27 to July 5, hosted in Turkey.
Hamilton will additionally represent Victoria Country at the U18 National Championships in April ahead of the World Cup.
