Renfree Wins Silver at Nationals

Images: Basketball Victoria 

Ballarat Miner Ned Renfree has this week returned from the Australian Junior Basketball Championships with a silver medal.

For the first time in 20 years the Victorian Country Under 18 Boys made a gold medal match. On this occasion Victoria Metro were victorious but it was the Country Victoria’s win over the reigning premiers Queensland South, who were tipped to win the Championships, in the Semi-Finals that was game of the tournament.

Renfree has been a part of the Country Victoria Pathway from the U12 skills days, having been through Academies, State Programs and National Development Pathways. Unfortunately, Ned missed out on opportunities to represent Country Victoria as an under 16 athlete at the 2020 & 2021 National Championships in Perth and Northern Territory, due to covid lockdowns.

Throughout the pool games, Renfree led his team in scoring and assists and was second in his team’s rebound count. While Renfree’s individual performance was hampered by an injury that saw him play only four minutes in one game, he managed to rank in the top 8 players across 5 different statistics columns (Assists 3^rd, free throw percentage 3^rd, total match points 5^th, average points 8^th, total free throws made 7^th).

Victoria Country’s road to the finals saw them drop two matches in their pool games to both NSW Metro (Finished 4^th overall) and Queensland South (Won Bronze). Coming 3^rd in their pool saw a rematch against the NSW Country team in the quarter finals. This was a rematch of the Country Cup Grand Final that saw Victoria Country victorious earlier in the year and the same result this time meant that Victoria Country was to face off against Queensland South, the reigning premiers.

Renfree starred in the Semi-Final with an outstanding game-high 35 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists to lead his team to victory in overtime.  Victoria Country came back from a 13-point deficit in the third quarter when Renfree was taken out with a heavy hit and his team rallied.

Renfree returned in the fourth quarter and continued where he left off. With only seconds left on the clock, Renfree sent the game into overtime hitting 3 free throws in a row to silence the local Queensland supporters.

The Victoria Country boys lead throughout the extra time to come home with a three-point win and a gold medal match berth.

The Semi Final was regarded by many as the game of the tournament, that demonstrated the grit and determination that is synonymous with Country Victorian Basketball which Renfree played a huge role.

Renfree now returns to the Miners program where he will join the NBL1 team whilst also juggling Youth League commitments.