A format change to Basketball Tasmania’s premier under-age tournaments has given a boost this year for Launceston and Hobart basketballers towards a level playing field.
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Basketball Tasmania chief executive Chris McCoy said the change prior to the under-14 state titles was all in the name of fairness.
Teenagers from the Tasmania’s two largest cities had been forced to compete only for their clubs at the state championships against the strong North-West associations.
“There’s now a lot of closer games,” he said.
“So, the new format is working well where Launceston and Hobart are now playing with their association teams instead of the club teams in the past.
“That’s now producing really good competition, especially at division 1 level where they can now compete with the North-West.”
The format instigated at the weekend will continue next week during the under-16 and 18 championships.
But Devonport still had the measure of rival teams in the division 1 boys competition to easily beat Phoenix in the final.
Devonport had caused an upset over tournament favourites Launceston Lightning to win the semi-final clash by one point.
The Hobart-based association were also surprise five-point winners over Ulverstone in the other semi-final.
Launceston Lightning just missed out on the division 2 boys title, losing the final to Kingborough-Huon.
Clarence United comfortably captured the division 1 girls over Penguin after causing a boilover against Devonport in the semi-final.
But beaten finalists Penguin won against the odds to reach the final, escaping by five points in their semi-final against Ulverstone, four over Somerset and three with Clarence United during the earlier rounds.
Launceston Lightning turned the tables on adversaries Kingborough-Huon to snare the division 2 girls final.
The southern association had won the earlier battle between the two sides in a two-point thriller.
- Full scores were not made available to The Examiner prior to print on Sunday night.
Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
