On Tuesday 26 August, eight of our talented Year 6 basketballers proudly represented St Catherine’s at the SSV Armadale District Basketball Tournament. After a rigorous selection process, the girls trained hard in the lead-up to the day, guided by our supercoach Mr Perry, whose knowledge and experience were invaluable.

Our first match was against Korowa, and the girls were fired up and ready to go. After a tight start, strong defensive pressure and some accurate shooting saw us take control and claim an impressive first win. Next up was a tough and tall Firbank team. The match was physical and goal-for-goal right up until half time. With scores locked, Mr Perry delivered a rousing pep talk and the team came out fighting in the second half. An outstanding 3-pointer from Missy B gave us the edge and secured another victory.

With two wins on the board, we faced Lauriston, who were undefeated. Despite creating great opportunities, luck wasn’t on our side as our shots just wouldn’t fall. The girls dug deep, but Lauriston proved too strong on the day. Unfortunately, this result meant our pool came down to point differential, and by just 2 points we narrowly missed the finals.

Showing resilience and determination, the girls bounced back brilliantly, winning their final two matches against Korowa and Melbourne Girls Grammar. This left St Catherine’s with an impressive 5th place overall, despite recording only one loss across the entire day.

There were standout moments from every player: excellent shooting and athleticism from Lola P and Arabella L, fierce defence and jump balls from Nina and Cate, and consistent scoring from Sophia and Jenny. Every student played a vital role in what was a fantastic day of basketball.

A huge thank you to our coach, Mr Perry, for his guidance and encouragement, and to the parents who came along to support the team.