Buccaneers’ under-19 boys division 3 team clinches Geraldton’s second State Basketball Championships title

Geraldton has brought home another title in the Basketball WA State Championships, with its under-19 side grinding out a thrilling three-point win during Saturday night’s grand final at Bendat Basketball Centre in Perth. Division three in the under-19 boys tournament was tight throughout the group stage, but the Buccaneers did enough to win Pool A and claim one of two finals spots up for grabs, with three wins, a loss and a draw. In the semi-final, Geraldton brushed off Goldfields with ease, taking a 10-point advantage into the main break, before pushing the lead out to 16 points, taking out a dominant 47-31 win. The decider against Perth was a different story, as Geraldton were on the backfoot by half-time, the score sitting on 16-23. But the Buccaneers dug deep to rebound from the seven-point gap. Geraldton’s Levi Owen and Perth’s Jack Ryder traded blows on the scoreboard as the clock ticked down, as Ryder sunk a three-pointer to level the score. After a strategic time-out from Geraldton, Owen delivered the knockout blow and nailed a three-pointer on the buzzer to seal the title. It was a spectacular way to cap off a sensational tournament from Owen, who was top scorer after shooting 118 points — including 17 three-pointers, finishing 47 points clear of the runner-up. Jarrad Mongoo and Denbi Horstman also pieced together solid tournaments, placing third and fourth for total points scored. This title now sees Geraldton’s youngest and oldest representatives crowned championships in their division — the under-11 boys division three side claimed their title a fortnight ago — alongside two runners-up finishes in the under-17 boys and girls competitions. The under-17 girls took the court at Bendat Basketball centre this weekend, but an all-round masterclass from East Perth in the grand final prevented them from taking home the division three championship. The side secured third spot in the group stage, with four wins and two losses, falling short of second place on percentage. But ladder position did not matter in the semi-final as Geraldton knocked second-ranked Perry Lakes out of finals to the tune of seven-points. However, the decider did not go to plan, as East Perth’s dominance around the court left Geraldton searching for answers as their title hopes slipped away 40-14. Halo Colley and Chevi Lodge were the stand-outs in the under-17 girls campaign, combining for 68 points as Geraldton’s top two scorers.