Rochester Basketball Association is celebrating a great weekend at the Echuca Basketball Association Tournament, with the under-16 boys winning their grand final in dominant fashion.
The under-16 boys had a thumping 21-point victory over the Wodonga Wolves, winning 65-44 to claim the division two title.
The tournament was held over the Labour Day long weekend, with games played in both Echuca and Rochester.
The result highlighted a strong performance from all of Rochester’s teams at the Echuca tournament, with the under-16 boys one of three Tigers teams to reach the grand final.
Rochy’s under-16 girls and under-18 boys both reached their deciders but lost to Deniliquin and Bendigo, respectively.
Rochester’s under-12 boys lost in their semi-final, while the under-12 girls reached the quarter-finals.
Rochester Basketball Association president Greg Tiller said it was great to take part in the tournament, adding he was proud of how all of the teams performed.
“It was fantastic to be back on the courts in Echuca after two years of not being able to operate with COVID,” Tiller said.
“And to be able to host games in Rochester was really special, especially for our under-12 boys and girls and our under-14 boys, who were all able to play home games in Rochester.
“Our teams have improved so much, so seeing us get three teams to grand finals was really special for our association.”
Rochester’s under-16 boys backed up their Echuca tournament success with a trip to the Victoria Country State Championships last weekend, reaching the semi-finals.
The Tigers had a crucial 52-48 victory over the Yarrawonga Mulwala Lakers in their final pool game that saw them qualify for the knockout stage.
The result set up a huge quarter-final clash against the Echuca Pirates, with Rochy winning in a nail biter. The Tigers had a commanding 12-point lead at the break and survived a spirited second-half Pirate comeback to hold on for a 51-50 win.
Harrison Keating led the scoring for Rochester with a mammoth 28 points, while William Hann had 10 points.
Rochester’s tournament came to an end in the semi-finals after a nine-point loss to the Moe Meteors.
Keating was again the Tigers’ top scorer with 16 points, but the Tigers fell to Moe 50-41.