Great Southern Amatuer Basketball Association development network squad program (DNSP) head coach Bill Kelton was thrilled with the way the juniors played over the week-long tournament.

“They all did extremelly well, from what I saw and what I have heard, our guys you some of the standouts in their respective teams,” Kelton said.

Two players Kelton was extremelly impressed with was under 18 duo Aydan Bartlett and Haydn Barns.

“Aydan and Haydn played great and their SA Magpies team was quite strong,” Kelton said.

After winning two of their four pool matches, SA Magpies lost 64-60 to New South Wales Waratahs in the quarter final before defeating the other South Australian team, the Sharks, 88-76 and Albury-Wodonga 66-41 in the playoff for fifth.

“Aydan and Haydn are now in the mix for national championship selection,” Kelton added.

The under 18 championships will be Terrigal, New South Wales from April 10-17.

In under 16, Kelton was suprised at the high performing Kurt Lindner with Lindner’s efforts rewarded with a place in the South Australia Country high perforence squad.

Lindner’s SA Sharks team won three of four pool matches and also defeated the SA Magpies team 59-57 in the playoff round before going down the the Victorian Bushrangers 81-65 in the semi final.

The team regrouped to to defeat Western Australian Sandgropers 51-46 in the playoff for third.

Elly Cleggett also was a key ingredient to the under 16 girls SA Magpies with the side winning three of their five pool matches before defeating New Zealand Kea 60-42 in the quarter final.

Unfortunately, the Magpies fell to New South Wales Waratahs 67-44 in the semi final and then defeated the SA Sharks team 47-39 in the playoff for third.

Mitch Kelton (SA Magpies) and Tom Cleggett (SA Sharks) played in the under 14 boys while Brooke Basham played well for the SA Magpies in under 14 girls.

“The feedback I got from a Great Southern perspective has never been so good,” Kelton added.