The penultimate group of Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) U12-U18 teams have earned their spots in VC for 2021.
Following last Friday night’s games (Friday 12 March), the next group of U12-U18 teams per age group have qualified and will take their places in the VC grade. The Victorian Championship (VC) level represents the most elite teams and athletes throughout Victoria as they battle it out to take out Under-12, U14, U16, U18 and U21 titles.
These teams are the best of the best and making VC is regarded as an elite showcase for the teams that have qualified through our grading phases.
Junior athletes from the Under-12 to Under-18 age groups commenced their VJBL campaign late January and have battled to secure a coveted position in VC.
Freshly qualifying for the VC ranks in 2021 after Friday night are Altona, with its Under-14 Girls earning a ticket to the big dance, alongside Broadmeadows (U12 Girls), Coburg (U12 Girls), Ringwood (U18 Girls) and Southern Peninsula (U18 Boys).
The strong are only getting stronger as well with a number of teams qualifying second teams across the VC divisions as Eltham’s Under-14.2 Boys and Under-16.2 Girls surged into VC following last week’s round. Dandenong has a pair of Under-12 Boys teams ready to square off in VC as do Frankston with its Under-14 Girls teams.
Rounding out some of the superb efforts throughout VC qualifying so far, Knox and Hawthorn have qualified a team in every VC division to highlight an impressive start to 2021 for the Raiders and Magic.
There are four more teams to add to the VC equation, with the last qualifiers held tonight on Friday 19 March.
VJBL Operations Manager Adrian Campbell said the 2021 VC standard is truly elite and showcases the strength of Victorian basketball across the state.
“There is a great mix of metropolitan and country teams across our VJBL associations, which really shows how strong Victorian basketball has become,” Campbell said. “It’s always great to see emerging associations rise up the ranks to take on some of our strongest associations across the VJBL.
“It’s also just as exciting to see the long-term success of our big associations who continue to impress year-in, year-out.
“In spite of the challenges of 2020, our VJBL teams have shone upon return to VC qualifying we look forward to seeing them star every Friday night throughout the VC season.”
The VJBL Under-21 VC competition teams will be announced at the conclusion of the April school holidays.
See the full 2021 VJBL calendar dates here.
CONFIRMED 2021 VJBL VC TEAMS (New teams in bold)
Altona: U14 Girls
Ballarat: U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U18 Girls
Broadmeadows: U12 Girls
Bulleen: U12 Boys, U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Boys, U16 Girls, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Camberwell: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U18 Boys
Casey: U12 Boys, U14 Girls, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Coburg: U12 Girls
Dandenong: U12 Boys, U12.2 Boys, U14 Boys, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Diamond Valley: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Boys, U16 Boys, U16 Girls, U18 Girls
Eltham: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Boys, U14.2 Boys, U14 Girls, U16 Boys, U16 Girls, U16.2 Girls, U18 Boys
Frankston: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Girls, U14.2 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Girls, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Geelong United: U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Boys
Hawthorn: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U16 Boys 2, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Keilor: U12 Boys, U14 Boys, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Kilsyth: U12 Girls, U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Boys, U18 Girls
Knox: U12 Boys, U12 Girls, U14 Boys 2, U14 Girls, U16 Boys, U16 Girls, U18 Boys, U18 Girls
LaTrobe: U14 Girls, U16 Girls, U16 Boys
McKinnon: U12 Girls, U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Boys, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Melbourne: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Girls, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Girls, U18 Boys
Mornington: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Boys
Nunawading: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Boys
Ringwood: U18 Girls
Sandringham: U12 Girls, U12 Boys, U14 Girls, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Girls
Southern Peninsula: U18 Boys
Sunbury: U12 Boys, U14 Boys, U18 Girls
Waverley: U18 Girls, U18 Boys