Sharks make Merimbula proud in Southern Junior League

The Under-18 and Under-14 boys teams from the Merimbula Sharks competed over May 18-19, in what was only their second year at the Basketball NSW tournament.

The president of Merimbula Sharks Basketball, Matt Collins said the wins were a testament to the growth of the club and how passionate and talented the kids from the Far South Coast were.

The semi-finals were played on Saturday, with Moss Vale Magic going down 96 to 76 to the Sharks in the U18s, while Wagga Wagga Heat lost to the U14s Sharks, 78 to 28.

On Sunday, the U18s grand final saw Merimbula Sharks taking on the Tumut Timberwolves, which coach Adam Jessup described as a cracker of a game with two outstanding defensive teams.

"The first half was a dog fight, no team giving an inch and we were up by one point. It was the same in the third quarter, and the boys had a six point lead going into the last," the Merimbula U18s coach said.

"They put on nine points to zero in the first two minutes of the last quarter and held the lead, winning Sharks 83 versus Tumut 70.

"As a coach, words cannot describe how proud I am.

"I've been coaching rep now for six years and I've never won a grand final until this year.

"Two of the boys came up to me after the game and said, 'We've got one now for you, coach'."

The U14s also put on a show with a semi-final rematch as the Merimbula Sharks were taking on the Wagga Wagga Heat, with a winning score of 66 to 37 in the final to the Sharks.

After the championship medals were awarded, the tournament announced the Most Valuable Players (MVPs) for each division, with Luke Lewis (U18s) and Ryan Collins (U14s) honoured in their respective division finals.

A handful of referees also proudly represented the association including Sally Carter, Ken Simpson, Laura Pouliot and Rooke Johnston, with the latter two being selected to officiate finals highlighting their progression from local competition to representative competition.

"Particularly watching the Under-14 boys who I am sort of closely involved with [as an assistant coach], they just really clicked this year, good chemistry on and off the court," president Collins said.

"When you see that, it translates to performance on the court, team first mentality, and it's really obvious how they pass the ball ahead and get their mates points instead of themselves."