Basketball: Eaton, Steen selected for Victorian National Performance Pathway scholarship | Bendigo Advertiser

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TWO Bendigo athletes have received scholarships for an elite Basketball Victoria development academy. Macey Eaton and Martin Steen will take part in the Victorian National Performance Pathway program which is designed to enhance athletes’ ability to compete at the highest level on the basketball court. “I will definitely make the most of my time in the program because it’s going to give me plenty of great opportunities in the future,” Steen. Eaton shared the same determination as Steen and can’t wait to get down to business in 2021. “I want to continue to be the best that I can be by improving my dribbling and shooting so I can develop into an elite point guard,” Eaton said. RELATED: Proud York says Spirit shouldn’t be judged on winless WNBL season Due to COVID-19 it’s been several months since either of them have been able to compete. As it stands the first tournament in 2021 for the pair with the Braves will be the annual Junior Classic during the Australia Day weekend. The Bendigo duo were selected for the VNPP as part of the Country Victoria intake which includes players from across regional areas of the state. The program will be overseen by Basketball Victoria’s four high performance coaches Zoe Car, Jenni Screen, Nathan Cooper-Brown and Ash Arnott. “The VNPP is an amazing program as we get to see the sheer number of Victorian rising stars take big steps from being impressive juniors to elite senior representatives ready for collegiate and professional basketball,” general manager high performance and pathways Grant Wallace said. “As seen with Jade Melbourne lighting up the WNBL in her debut season and Josh Giddey beginning his NBL career at Adelaide, the talent pathway in Victorian basketball is full of elite players. “Every chance we get to add to these players’ skill-sets and build on their impressive talents is an opportunity we’re excited to take. “While 2020 has been difficult across the board, not just within basketball itself, we’re looking forward to getting our athletes back on court regularly in late 2020 and 2021 with this program and many others like it from Basketball Victoria.” SPORT NEWS: Pioneers’ AFL draftees to inspire 2021 squad VICTORIAN NATIONAL PERFORMANCE PROGRAM 2020/2021 SCHOLARSHIPS VICTORIA COUNTRY BOYS Jett Garnham – Wonthaggi Ben Waller – Traralgon Nate Hargrave – Geelong Zac McInnes – Geelong Jesse Ombega – Geelong Ned Renfree – Ballarat Garang Dengdit – Melton Alex Molan – Ballarat Jack Connolly – Geelong Martin Steen – Bendigo Tom Field – Southern Peninsula Tom Briggs – Wangaratta Fletcher Burger – Ballarat Lucas Impey – Ballarat Lachlan Smith – Dandenong Ben Forsyth – Southern Peninsula Jack Hrehoresen – Maffra Darcy Jones – Southern Peninsula Macey Eaton – Bendigo VICTORIA COUNTRY GIRLS Dallas Loughridge – Traralgon / Dandenong Dyani Ananiev – Seymour / Eltham Isabel Whitelaw – Shepparton Sienna Harvey – Geelong Kyra Webb – Southern Peninsula Tanielle Knight – Geelong Jaime Gallatly – Traralgon VICTORIA METROPOLITAN GIRLS Tess Heal – Keilor Teah Reichert – Keilor Holly Griffiths – Bulleen Sophie Burrows – Diamond Valley Amy Kurkowski – Hawthorn Amy O’Hara – Hawthorn Hannah Wickstrom – Sandringham Lucy Dexter – Casey Dakota Crichton – Casey Isla Airey – Sandringham Bonnie Deas – Frankston Georgia Mcbean – Hawthorn VICTORIA METROPOLITAN BOYS AJ Magbegor- Coburg Beau Tranter – Dandenong Blake Shankland – Casey Daniel Poelsma – Bulleen Ethan Bolton – Casey Jackson Harding – Diamond Valley Jensen Bradtke – Sandringham Jesse Mcintosh – Hawthorn Kai Garnant – Melbourne Kristian Ferronato – Eltham Phoenix Windsor – Hawthorn Tristan Devers – Nunawading Zahn Agosta – Eltham Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser’s daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that’s happening in central Victoria.

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ELITE: Bendigo Basketball products Macey Eaton and Martin Steen have received scholarships for the Victorian National Performance Pathway program. Picture: BASKETBALL VICTORIA

TWO Bendigo athletes have received scholarships for an elite Basketball Victoria development academy.

Macey Eaton and Martin Steen will take part in the Victorian National Performance Pathway program which is designed to enhance athletes’ ability to compete at the highest level on the basketball court.

“I will definitely make the most of my time in the program because it’s going to give me plenty of great opportunities in the future,” Steen.

Eaton shared the same determination as Steen and can’t wait to get down to business in 2021.

“I want to continue to be the best that I can be by improving my dribbling and shooting so I can develop into an elite point guard,” Eaton said.

Due to COVID-19 it’s been several months since either of them have been able to compete.

As it stands the first tournament in 2021 for the pair with the Braves will be the annual Junior Classic during the Australia Day weekend.

The Bendigo duo were selected for the VNPP as part of the Country Victoria intake which includes players from across regional areas of the state.

The program will be overseen by Basketball Victoria’s four high performance coaches Zoe Car, Jenni Screen, Nathan Cooper-Brown and Ash Arnott.

“The VNPP is an amazing program as we get to see the sheer number of Victorian rising stars take big steps from being impressive juniors to elite senior representatives ready for collegiate and professional basketball,” general manager high performance and pathways Grant Wallace said.

“As seen with Jade Melbourne lighting up the WNBL in her debut season and Josh Giddey beginning his NBL career at Adelaide, the talent pathway in Victorian basketball is full of elite players.

“Every chance we get to add to these players’ skill-sets and build on their impressive talents is an opportunity we’re excited to take.

“While 2020 has been difficult across the board, not just within basketball itself, we’re looking forward to getting our athletes back on court regularly in late 2020 and 2021 with this program and many others like it from Basketball Victoria.”

VICTORIAN NATIONAL PERFORMANCE PROGRAM 2020/2021 SCHOLARSHIPS

Tom Field – Southern Peninsula

Fletcher Burger – Ballarat

Lachlan Smith – Dandenong

Ben Forsyth – Southern Peninsula

Darcy Jones – Southern Peninsula

Dallas Loughridge – Traralgon / Dandenong

Dyani Ananiev – Seymour / Eltham

Isabel Whitelaw – Shepparton

Kyra Webb – Southern Peninsula

Tanielle Knight – Geelong

Jaime Gallatly – Traralgon

VICTORIA METROPOLITAN GIRLS

Holly Griffiths – Bulleen

Sophie Burrows – Diamond Valley

Hannah Wickstrom – Sandringham

Georgia Mcbean – Hawthorn

VICTORIA METROPOLITAN BOYS

Jackson Harding – Diamond Valley

Jensen Bradtke – Sandringham

Jesse Mcintosh – Hawthorn

Kristian Ferronato – Eltham

Phoenix Windsor – Hawthorn

Tristan Devers – Nunawading

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser’s daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that’s happening in central Victoria.