Buccs boys net championship

The future of men’s basketball in Geraldton is in a very good place right now.

Complementing the outstanding strides made by the S&K Electrical Geraldton Buccaneers at senior level is the array of talented young players coming through.

The Geraldton under-18s boys’ team took out the under-18s championship in the opening week of the recent BWA State Country Championships.

Geraldton defeated Pinjarra 48-38 in the grand final, after Pinjarra inflicted Geraldton’s only loss of the carnival during the pool stage.

The campaign began with Geraldton pipping Bunbury, 40-39.

In a nip-and-tuck battle, the Mid West outfit spread the load offensively and held their nerve when required.

The only loss of the tournament came during the second pool fixture, with Pinjarra going on a 12-2 run towards the end of the first half.

Pinjarra eventually ran out 48-39 winners, but Geraldton will grow from the performance.

Convincing wins followed against Australind, Albany, Busselton, Mandurah and Manjimup, which ensured a rematch with Pinjarra in the grand final.

The grand final was close in the first half, with William Galvin giving Geraldton some breathing space on the stroke of half-time.

Geraldton eventually broke the shackles early in the second period, with Alex Ducas outstanding, although it was well and truly a team effort.

Reflecting on the achievement, Geraldton Amateur Basketball Association regional development officer Jackson Hussey said he was pleased with how the team had worked together over the weekend.

“The guys mingled really well,” he said.

“Across the weekend, they played hard and fought for every loose ball, which was good to see.

“Everyone really contributed well across the board and it was good to see them gel as a team.”

Hussey said the team took several lessons from the Pinjarra pool game, including how to guard effectively against their mostly Australian Rules-background opponents, which served them well in the grand final.