The under-18 boys team have qualified for the national tournament in Auckland next month. To help their fundraising efforts, North Otago Basketball are hosting a fundraising day at the Network Waitaki Event Centre on Sunday. The main event will be the under-18 team taking on a North Otago invitational team which should feature some quality players, under-18 coach Jacob Fowler said. “I’m not 100% sure the boys that will be in there but we’ve got a few guys that have played in the NBL that
have played previously for North Otago.” Current Otago Nugget and former Waitaki Boys’ High School student Toby Hunt was one of the names he floated could play alongside Matt Brien and Toby Lewis, who played for the Penguins in 2024. Raffles will be sold on the day and a half-court shooting competition will be held during halftime. While the day may have have the vibe of an all-star event, Fowler was adamant the game would be competitive. “I know that I want it, as a
coach, to be a competitive game where the boys are getting used to playing against bigger bodies because that’s what we’re going to get when we go to Auckland.” He hoped to see a good crowd get in behind the team. “We want to make sure we can support our boys to get along to nationals so that would be a bit of incentive to come along and support our local boys. “Also just to see a good brand of basketball put on show.” It
is the second time in three years the under-18 team has qualified for nationals and the third straight year a North Otago team will attend after the under-16 team also qualified in 2024 and 2025. “It’s been really cool to see and just shows the quality that can come out of North Otago,” Fowler said. “I took this same group of guys two years ago [as] under-16s and then I think had three or four of them that were in the under-16s again last year
so the third year some of these boys will have been at nationals.” Having that experience will hopefully make the adjustment of playing the best of the best easier. “When we went two years ago, it was very eye-opening for the boys. “We played Canterbury in the first game and they beat us well. “Being able to go up there and [the] guys have had one or two years of experience at that level, they have a little bit more confidence in themselves.” The national
tournament will be held during the July school holidays. nic.duff@oamarumail.co.nz
North Otago Basketball, under-18, fundraising day, Network Waitaki Event Centre, Auckland nationals, Jacob Fowler, Toby Hunt, Matt Brien, Toby Lewis, half-court shooting competition, raffles