The Frankston Blues had an eventful and successful showing at the National Junior Classic 2024, with standout performances across our four teams.
Under 12.1 Boys
The Under 12.1 Boys team showcased their dominance by winning the Under 12 Boys Gold Medal game, finishing the weekend undefeated. They triumphed over Casey (65-42), Canberra (81-36), and Sturt (62-44) in their pool games. In the knockout stages, they convincingly defeated South Adelaide (93-43) in the Quarter Final, Dandenong (61-44) in the Semi-Final, and Kilsyth Cobras (58-40) in the Grand Final.
In the Grand Final, the boys had a slow start, trailing 8-12 at quarter time, but rallied in the second quarter to tie the scores at 20-20 by halftime. Their full-court defence paved the way to a strong 17-6 third quarter, and they sealed the victory with a 21-14 fourth quarter. Gold Medal MVP, Leo McInnes lead the scoring with 19 points, supported by Anton Hanigan’s 13 points.
Under 12.1 Girls
The Under 12.1 Girls team finished with a Silver Medal, narrowly losing to Dandenong in the final moments of the game. They had a strong run in their pool games, defeating Bankstown (40-36), Eastern Mavericks (55-38), and Waverley (51-42). They continued their success by beating Casey (46-42) in the Quarter Final and Melbourne (49-39) in the Semi-Final.
The Grand Final was a close contest. The girls started trailing 0-7 in the first four minutes and ending the first quarter 4-13. They gained momentum in the second quarter, reducing the gap to 13-16 at halftime. The Blues took the lead mid-way through the third quarter, and the game saw multiple lead changes until the final two minutes with scores tied at 35-35, and then 38-38 with 20 seconds remaining. Unfortunately, they lost possession and fouled, allowing Dandenong to score two final free throws, ending the game 38-40. Gypsy Joksimovic led the scoring with 15 points, while Charlotte Roth and Jeriya Benn contributed 7 points each.
Under 14.1 Girls
The Under 14.1 Girls team had a challenging weekend but finished strong by winning the 9-10 Placing Final against Penrith They faced a tough pool, starting with a one-point loss to South Adelaide (54-55) and a close two-point loss to Casey (67-65). They went on to defeat Sutherland (68-33) and Eastern Mavericks (70-53), before defeating Penrith (50-46). The team now looks ahead to the Club Championships later this year.
Under 18.1 Boys
The Under 18.1 Boys team concluded their weekend with a Silver Medal, falling to Dandenong (61-70) in the final. They had victories over Central Districts (68-45) and Wyndham (68-60), with a narrow loss to Maitland (61-64) in their pool games. In the knockout stages, they defeated Bankstown (48-43) in the Quarter Final and Diamond Valley (64-50) in the Semi-Final.
In the Gold Medal game, the boys started well, leading the first quarter 17-14. Despite losing the second quarter, they still led 31-30 at halftime. However, Dandenong outscored them 40-30 in the second half. Eleven Frankston players contributed to the scoreboard, with Denver Warry and Nick Beattie leading the way with 12 and 11 points, respectively.