THE Penrith & Districts Basketball Association will co-host the 2022 Australian Under 14 Club Championships from 25th – 30th September, with games in the Girls division being played at the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, Herbert Street, Cambridge Park.
The Hills District Basketball Association will co-host the Championships, with games in the boys division being played at the Hills Basketball Stadium, Fred Caterson Reserve, Castle Hill.
The timing of the Under 14 Championships coincides with the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022, which will be held at Sydney Olympic Park from Thursday, 22 September to Saturday, 1 October.
“Holding the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on home soil is a once in a generation experience and we want to ensure that players coming through our pathways have every opportunity to experience the game at the highest level,” said Matt Scriven, Basketball Australia CEO.
“You can’t be what you can’t see and it’s important that we give our young players every opportunity to watch the likes of Cayla George, Ezi Magbegor and Alanna Smith in action.”
Global FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Ambassador, Lauren Jackson added, “It’s fantastic to see Australian basketball working together to ensure that as many of our next generation as possible can experience the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Sydney.
“One of the most exciting parts of hosting the World Cup on home soil is showcasing the world’s best teams and players, as well as the elite pathways available to the next wave of talent.”
“I was one of the kids watching the Women’s Basketball World Cup in 1994, when it was last hosted in Australia, so I know how it impacted my desire to be an Opal,” said Lauren. “I would have loved to join my family who travelled to be at the live games, but I settled for watching it on television during my own U14 state championships at the time.
“So, it’s exciting that our nation’s best Under 14 players will have the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of playing in a national championship and also attending the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in person this year.”
This year, every game of the U14 Championships will be streamed live, thanks to News Corp, along with broadcast company, Toppa. More details and where to watch these games can be found on the Basketball Australia website, once the Championships commence.
It is the first Under 14’s Club Championship since 2019, with the previous winners in the Championship Division being the Hills Hornets NSW (boys), and Hawthorn Magic VIC (girls).
As co-hosts, the Penrith and Hills District Associations will each field both a boys team and a girls team at the Championships.
The Under 14’s schedule will work around the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup games to give the participants every opportunity to be a part of this amazing event.
The 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup will feature twelve nations, competing in a total of 38 games across 10 days of action, all vying for the coveted World title.
The Opals, who are automatic qualifiers alongside long-time rivals Team USA, have medalled in five of the last six World Cups, including a gold medal in 2006.
