The chance to represent Australia at this year's Asian under-16 championships is motivating Launceston basketball talents Sejr Deans and Lauren Wise.
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Both past attendees at national high performance camps, the duo have been selected alongside North-Wester Zoe Crawford as three of 44 under-16s from across the country to attend a training camp in Canberra this weekend.
With under-18 national championships and a starring performance in last year's under-15 Oceania Championship grand final still in recent memory, Deans' selection caps off a huge six months.
The 16-year-old Riverside High student said the camp had come as a quick turnaround for both he and Wise.
"It was pretty tough, we just came back from under-18 nationals so we were both bottom-agers in that so we both had to perform there," Deans said.
"For me [this year has been] just continuing to put in a lot of work ... I've started doing a lot more strength stuff this year which has been helping me."
Wise was selected for her first athlete development camp in January after recovering from an injury that saw her miss last year's equivalent.
Still 15, the six-foot-four post player said the three-day, six-session camp was a good reward after a challenging rehabilitation period.
"It's been a pretty good year for me," the St Patrick's College student said.
"I had osteomyelitis in my hip so I had to have surgery to get out the dead bone and abscess in there so I couldn't walk properly - I had to strengthen all the muscles up again.
"I've improved a lot [this year] - obviously getting my fitness back has been quite tough, but it's definitely been a positive year so far."
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