mmg.com.au

FCJ College student Nicholas Spencer and his team-mates in the Wangaratta Warriors Under 18 Boys basketball team have been named division two Victorian Country State Champions for 2013.

The team travelled to Bendigo on February 23 and 24 as one of 32 teams in the country competition and competed in divisions one and two, after requesting to move up from divisions three and four.

In a more challenging competition the boys lost their qualifying games to Shepparton, Traralgon and Portland on Saturday, placing them in division two for Sunday’s knockout competition.

But the boys returned to the stadium in form on Sunday, playing some of the best basketball they had played all season and making it through to the semi-final.

The semi-final against Sale was hard fought, ending in a draw and forcing the game into overtime. But Wangaratta dug in and ran out eventual winners by five points and earning them a spot in the grand final against Warragul.

In a hotly contested grand final, Wangaratta prevailed by 11 points to claim the title of state champions.

Having turned 16 in December, Nicholas will now move into the men’s team, before embarking on a basketball tour of the United States at the end of the year.

One of nine boys from the region selected to take part in the tour, Spencer will join coach Jacqui Henry in a trip to North Carolina and possibly Texas, visiting schools and universities such as Duke and University of North Carolina.

The team will play basketball against schools, participate in a home stay, attend an American high school for a day and potentially watch or participate in a training session with a leading American basketball coach.

‘‘It’s a fantastic experience, adds to their ability to play over here, improves their skill level and improves their understanding of the game,’’ coach Jacqui Henry said.

Nicholas will continue to train with the men’s development squad before the new season begins later this year.