MORE than 3000 basketball young guns, parents, coaches and spectators have walked through the doors at Bendigo Stadium for the under-12 Future Stars Championships.
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The best juniors in the state competed in Bendigo for the past three days, all aiming to claim the title of best country association in their age group.
About 71 teams participated in the annual tournament, which was in the region for the first time.
Thirty-eight boys teams and 33 girls teams all went toe-to-toe in the basketball event.
Bendigo Stadium's sport and competitions executive manager Craig Green said the championships were a great success.
"It has been fantastic," he said.
"We have had really large support groups come to Bendigo this year, which is good and we have seen some great basketball."
We have had really large support groups come to Bendigo this year.
- Craig Green
Green said teams had come from every corner of the state.
"Teams have come from Portland, Mildura, Sale, from all across Victoria."
The Bendigo Braves division one boys team was the only team from the city to reach the grand final.
Green said it was a superb effort by the Bendigo team to reach the grand final.
"It is a great achievement."
Bendigo was runner-up to Bellarine, 44-38.
Scorers for the Bendigo Braves in the championship decider were Jacob Nihill 14, Oscar Keogh 9, Liam O’Brien 4, Harrison Lewis 3, Joshua Harris 2, Lucas Hogan 2, Oliver Mayman 2, Jett Wade-Roberts 2.
The Bellarine attack was led by Kai Keenan 11, Alex White 8, Billy Dawson 8.
Bendigo will host the Victoria Country under-12 tournament in 2016.
Results from yesterday’s grand finals at Bendigo Stadium:
Division 1 boys – Bellarine 44 d Bendigo 38.
Division 2 boys – Wallan 57 d Warrnambool 52.
Warrnambool d Echuca in the semi-final, 47-34.
Division 3 boys – Western Port 31 d Warragulat 29.
Division 4 boys – Shepparton 42 beat Mansfield 30.
Division 1 girls – Ballarat 54 d Moe 43.
Bendigo lost the quarter final to Geelong by 10 points.
The Geelong line-up won 38-28.
Division 2 girls – Swan Hill 37 d Macedon 29.
Kyneton lost to Swan Hill by one point in the semi-final.
Division 3 girls – Churchill 57 d Wallan 34.
Division 4 – Western Port 20 d Korumburra 20.
Maryborough lost to Korumburra 37 to 15 in the semi-final.