A PAIR of junior Braves, Dash Daniels and Mia Harvey, have had their talent recognised with Bendigo Sports Star scholarships.<\/p>\n
Both basketballers represented Country Victoria last month at the under-16 National Junior Championships in Perth.<\/p>\n
For Daniels, 14, it was his first chance to benchmark himself against the best in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very competitive, big players, big bodies,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was fun to show my skills and know where I\u2019m at in the Australian leader board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniels finished the tournament with box scores of 26 points, six rebounds and 29 points and six rebounds from two games against Tasmania, as the Vic Country boys finished sixth.<\/p>\n
Before the tournament, Daniels joined his older brother Dyson in New York, and saw him get drafted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s crazy, his dream came true and that\u2019s somewhere I want to be in a couple of years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn four years\u2019 time I want to be in the same position, but hopefully go number one. I\u2019m looking forward to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Mia Harvey, 13, the tournament was also a positive experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great opportunity,\u201d she said. \u201cGoing over there meeting new people and playing basketball, the sport I love, it was really great and really fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was my first big opportunity representing the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying against the top people in each state is a big thing, just to keep grinding through it all, everyone has their own skills and putting them against other people with the same high level of basketball is really great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harvey scored 10 points as the under-16 girls lost by two points in their bronze medal match.<\/p>\n
Also coming from a Bendigo Braves-strong family, Harvey said her dad, former player and coach Ben Harvey, has played a big role in her love of basketball.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really overwhelming coming from a little kid who used to play basketball and practice with dad, and just growing up and playing basketball has been great,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m out there every day, I love this sport, and I definitely think this will be something for my future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A PAIR of junior Braves, Dash Daniels and Mia Harvey, have had their talent recognised with Bendigo Sports Star scholarships. Both basketballers represented Country Victoria last month at the under-16 National Junior Championships in Perth. For Daniels, 14, it was his first chance to benchmark himself against the best in the country. \u201cIt was very […]<\/p>\n