Tara Murray
Representing your state is an honour in itself, imagine getting the opportunity to do it with three of your best mates.
For four Sunbury Jets players that is the reality as part of the Vic Country under-16 national team that will compete in Perth in July.
Sonny Maxwell, Alex Gray, Sam Hasslett and Finn McGinty make up nearly half of the 10 player squad.
All four started basketball in the Macedon Ranges and represented the Macedon Ranges at the under-16 Country Championships earlier this year.
For Maxwell, it’s second time lucky having been named an emergency for the side last year.
Maxwell started playing basketball at Sunbury in the under-12 following in his father’s footsteps, who played representative basketball growing up.
“It feels really great and a huge honour to represent Vic country at this campaign and such a privilege to be playing at this level,” he said.
“The process was having a try out at the end of last year for a tournament.
“Then play that tournament which pretty much selects you into the selection process, then a day of playing basketball against Vic metro and then the teams get picked.”
Gray’s basketball journey started in Woodend. He said a lot of hard work had been put in on the court to get to this point.
“I began Aussie Hoops in Woodend when I was five-years-old before playing for Woodend Hawks in the Sunbury domestic comp,” he said.
“I have been playing VJBL [Victorian Junior Basketball League] for Sunbury Jets since under-12s and have also been fortunate enough to be selected to represent MRBA [Macedon Ranges Basketball Association] at six Country Championships in which we have now won twice.
“Over the last 8 months, there have been numerous try outs, camps and games to get to this point. I felt very excited and very privileged to make it as a lot of good players missed out.”
Sam Hasslett said for him to get to this level it was about getting out in the backyard every day, giving it his all at every training session.
Hasslett started playing basketball at under-12 at the Gisborne Bulldogs before joining the Sunbury Jets. This year he had the privilege of being selected for the National Performance Pathway on a scholarship.
“It feels really, really good,” he said. “Getting to play with the best and against the best players from around the country is such an honour.
To represent Vic Country and be coached by the best coaches in country Victoria is a tremendous opportunity.”
Finn McGinty said selection in the state team meant he was one step closer to his goal of playing professional basketball.
He started playing basketball in 2018 with the Gisborne Bulldogs, while he since joined the Jets representative program.
He has since had a number of achievements including being part of two MRBA Country Championship wins.
“It’s exciting,” he said.
“[There’s been] tryouts, training with the state development squad, commitment, focus and just playing as much basketball as I can.
“John Maxwell was my first coach and he spent a lot of time on skills & development, helping me improve my game.”
All four said it was exciting to be in the team together having played with each other since under-12s and said it was special to play with their mates at this level.
Hawke MP Sam Rae spoke about all four boys in parliament, with each presented with a copy of the speech.
