FOR the fifth year in a row, Bendigo basketballer Maddy Wild will represent her state when she plays in the Australian Junior Championships in Launceston next week.
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Wild will play for a combined Victoria Country-Metro under-20 women’s team at the championships, which tip off on Sunday.
The 17-year-old centre and forward has been a part of Victorian Country representative teams from under-16 level and will be one of the youngest players in this year’s under-20 squad.
Wild is among a Victorian squad of 10 that was whittled down from 35 who began the try-outs in October, last year.
“The team is shaping up fairly well,” Wild said yesterday.
“We’ve got four girls in the team who have been up at the AIS, so we haven’t been training with them since school went back, so it will be interesting to see how we go early when we’re all in the team together.”
In her four previous trips to the Australian Junior Championships, Wild has finished third three times and eighth.
“Hopefully, this will be a better year,” she said.
Wild plays her club basketball with Generals in the Bendigo Basketball Association, while last year she also played for the Bendigo Lady Braves’ development side.
Among the highlights for Wild this season has been the opportunity to train with Bendigo’s high-flying WNBL team, the Bendigo Spirit.
“It has been an unbelievable experience to have the opportunity to do some training with the Spirit,” Wild said.
“The girls have so much knowledge and want to teach you, so that has been great.
“If you’re doing something wrong they will help you improve... hopefully, one day I can play with them.”