Auckland gets its first taste of National Championships basketball, with the Aon U15 Nationals taking place at Pulman Arena. The last time Auckland saw this much basketball was the 3×3 Secondary Schools Nationals back in March.
Merrick Rillstone, who played in the recent Aon U17 Nationals and was last year’s Aon U15 Nationals MVP, had a chat to Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) to understand what playing in the Nationals is like.
“The key to the Aon U15 Nationals is to have fun while you’re playing and enjoy the experience. For a lot of plyers, it’s their first opportunity to see Nationals basketball and the excitement it can bring. Try not to let the pressure get in the way of how much fun the game of basketball is,” said Rillstone.
“Play hard with confidence every chance you get. Win or lose, your teammates will be the ones to help you maximise your enjoyment.”
Rillstone won the Aon U15 Nationals with his Waikato side last year, winning 90-65 against Manawatū. He scored 29 points, claimed 16 boards and took the ball off his opponents twice.
Another talent who took the court during last year’s Aon U15 Nationals was Kodee Williams-Sefo, who took home the title with Harbour and claimed MVP. Being from Auckland, regional tournaments have been limited to northern-most teams as well as other associations across the bridge, so BBNZ asked her how she felt about playing teams from around the country.
“It’s an exciting tournament as you have an opportunity to play other regions around Aotearoa for the first time,” said Williams-Sefo.
When asked what advice she would give to those playing this year, she mentioned the key thought that went through her mind during her first year at a national tournament.
“As well as playing these new teams from around the country, the key is remembering to compete hard, but at the same time, have fun!”
“Also, take in the experience, especially if its your first year.”
Williams-Sefo finished her Grand Final with 25 points, 14 rebounds and a huge two blocks to help her side to a 87-60 win over Waikato.
Keeping up to date with the fixtures and results is simple and can be found at http://bbnz.link/u15nats.
Key details:
- The Aon Under 15 Nationals will be held at Pulman Arena from 12th July – 15th July.
- You can view the scores and results, as well as any other relevant tournament information at http://bbnz.link/u15nats
- Following Basketball New Zealand on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter is the best way to see all the photos and videos posted from the tournament
- You can view all the photos of the tournament at https://bbnz.link/photos. Photos are updated throughout the day.
- Follow live scores and standings for this tournament by downloading the GameDay App and searching for BBNZ Tournaments
