SCHOOL SPORT VICTORIA - STATE FINALS

Year 8 Girls Basketball - State Champions!

On Tuesday 18 November, our team set out early, gathering at 6:15am for the journey to Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) in Albert Park for the SSV Basketball State Finals. Thanks to Mrs Maree Pearce’s expert driving, we arrived smoothly and in high spirits despite enduring a few energetic K-Pop tracks on the minibus.

Our opening match was against Brauer College, who, delayed by traffic, barely had time to warm up. We also took a few minutes to find our rhythm, but once we did, the team clicked into gear and delivered a commanding performance, securing a 23-point victory: CMCB 45 to Brauer 22.

Game 2 saw us face St Helena Secondary College. Their lineup featured a formidable player over six feet tall, but Izzy and Etta rose to the challenge, neutralising her impact. Our teamwork and intensity shone through, and we claimed a solid win by 14 points: CMCB 35 to St Helena 21.

The final pool game was against Catholic College Wodonga, a fast, tenacious opponent. With each match, our team’s confidence and cohesion grew. In a hard-fought contest, we prevailed by 5 points: CMCB 31 to Wodonga 26.

Advancing to the final, we met Maribyrnong College, the top team from their pool. We were surprised to see that last year’s finalists, Rowville Secondary College, had been eliminated. The determination in our players was unmistakable; they played with heart and focus, never allowing Maribyrnong a foothold. Despite the fatigue of a long day, our team’s energy never waned, and we finished with a decisive 16-point win: CMCB 41 to Maribyrnong 25.

Winning back-to-back state titles is an extraordinary achievement for this talented group of young women. It has been a privilege to witness their growth, resilience, and sportsmanship. The future is bright for each of them.

A heartfelt thank you to the families who travelled to Melbourne to support the team, and to Ms Holly Speed and Mrs Maree Pearce for their organisation and dedication in making the day possible.

Mrs Rachel Winfield (Coach)

TEAM: Etta Place, Harper Gordon, Isabella McEvoy, Evie Gretgrix, Mila Childs, Mrs Rachel Winfield (Coach), Poppy Carter, Elle Gilchrist, Sienna Raco, Ellie Macumber

Intermediate Girls - State Runners Up!

The final step of the Intermediate Girls Basketball 2025 campaign was to take on the State Finals at MSAC on Tuesday 18 November.

Led by team captain Lexi Fennell, the girls came straight out of the blocks, flew into the first game against Emmanuel College, Warrnambool and settled into some clean, thoughtful play. Excellent use of the ball saw the team ahead at half time, rotating players through the bench and comfortably coming away with a win, 36-25.

In Game 2, against Mt Ridley College, the girls were keen to keep the ball rolling. Full court pressure, great ball use and accurate shooting ensured a lead was maintained throughout the game. Some missed rebounds saw Mt Ridley mount a mini comeback, but that was quickly thwarted by some exceptional mid-court pressure that stopped them in their tracks and let the girls take another win, 43-37.

Game 3 came around, and Catholic College Wodonga came out hard in the early stages of the game. Some on-ball pressure threatened to slow the momentum; however, the girls opened up from the 3-point line and cleared ahead on the board quickly. The lead allowed some players to rest on the bench, with a 40-22 win going into the books, and locking the team in for a State Title playoff.

The final was always going to be a tight contest. Rowville Secondary College are renowned for their sporting teams, and this team carried some very talented players. Right from the jump, both teams were pressing the length of the court and playing tight and physical on defence. After the first 5 minutes, it was clear the teams were going to fight all the way, and that it would come down to small things to set the difference.

The girls were down on the scoreboard at halftime, but that didn’t stop the determined efforts from all eight players. Right to the final siren, the girls played hard and fast, but Rowville capitalised on our mistakes and got out to a lead that couldn’t be pulled back. The final score of 27-44 didn’t reflect how tight the contest was on court; the girls just couldn’t get the shots to land.

Each and every squad member, whether they played one tournament or three, should be extremely proud of their efforts, their camaraderie and their conduct throughout the campaign. To go all the way to the final and come home with a State Runner Up medal is a great achievement and will certainly encourage the team to go into 2026 with some solid motivation.

A huge thank you is extended to our emergencies, scorers and of course to Mrs Pearce and Ms Speed for their support in getting the team to all the competitions this year.

Mr Colin Hogan (Coach)

TEAM: Mr Colin Hogan, Lexie Fennell, Sophie McDermott, Mia Cox, Rylee Marsh, Lilly Teuma, Rhylee Pollock, Rhylie Jones, Alexis Arundell, Molly Beasley