15
Oct
U15 Oceania Cup
Victorians claim 16 spots in Australia's two U15 squads
Australia will compete at the 2026 FIBA Under-15 Oceania Cup in New Zealand.
Victoria supplies two-thirds of both squads, chasing the double Australia won in Canberra in 2024
- Australia names 12 U15 women and 12 U15 men for the Oceania Cup
- Sixteen of the 24 players are from Victoria
- Australia won both divisions when the tournament was last played, in 2024
Sixteen of the 24 juniors picked for Australia's teams at the FIBA U15 Oceania Cup are Victorian, as a new group gets its first taste of international basketball in Auckland from Monday, November 30 to Saturday, December 5.
Basketball Australia named both squads on Wednesday: 12 players for the U15 women and 12 for the U15 men. It will be the first FIBA tournament for all 24 of them, and, according to Basketball Australia, the first time the event has been held in New Zealand in more than 11 years.
Victoria has eight players in each squad. Tasmania, Queensland and New South Wales are represented in both teams, and Oliver Horton is the only player from Western Australia.
Basketball Australia's General Manager of the Performance Pathway Peter Lonergan said the first step into Green and Gold was one players never forget.
"It's an exciting time for these young athletes and everyone involved to see them taking the step and representing Australia at an international FIBA tournament," Lonergan said.
"If you asked any of the current Boomers and Opals, they will tell you how special it was to see their name on the jersey for the very first time.
"Auckland will provide an elite introduction for the players to the competitive standard of FIBA ball and what it's like to represent the country."
The bar is high. When the tournament was last played, in Canberra in November 2024, Australia won both divisions, and the men beat New Zealand 96-68 in the final with Will Hamilton named MVP.
That 2024 group is already delivering. Madi Ryan hit the game-winner as the Australian Gems beat Japan 83-82 to win a third straight FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup this month, with Ryan and Isabel Smith both named in the All-Star Five.
Luke Paul made the All-Star Five as the Crocs won bronze at the FIBA U17 World Cup in July, and has since debuted in the NBL for the Cairns Taipans.
The schedule and streaming details for Auckland are still to be announced.
Australian U15 women
- Eliza Boucher (TAS)
- Mila Childs (VIC)
- Airlie Fisher (VIC)
- Emerson Florance (VIC)
- Jada Hill (VIC)
- Ayen Kulang (VIC)
- Nahla Moke (QLD)
- Milica Mrdic (VIC)
- Violet Santamaria (VIC)
- Ilana Tamburini (VIC)
- Olive Waters (NSW)
- Eliza Wilson (NSW)
Australian U15 men
- Nathan Adio (VIC)
- Barry Akingbade (VIC)
- Charlie Alapinar (VIC)
- Blaine Anderson (VIC)
- Greyson Boxhall (TAS)
- Diyah Brown (NSW)
- Ethan Cleary (VIC)
- Lucas Drake (VIC)
- Elijah Honeyford (VIC)
- Oliver Horton (WA)
- Matthew Wickham (QLD)
- Deng Yak (VIC)
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