Ballarat has been announced as the host city for the 2024 Foot Locker Under 20 and Ivor Burge National Championships. The event will be held at Selkirk Stadium from 30th Jan - 4th Feb.
This is a significant event on the basketball calendar attracting 28 teams from all over Australia with some of the top emerging athletes participating.
The prestigious NBA Global Academy will field a team in the men’s division showcasing some of the best athletes of the future.
The Ivor Burge competition for athletes with an intellectual disability will have six men’s and four women’s teams competing.
This event is made possible through the support of the Victorian Government Regional Events fund.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said:
“It’s fantastic to see national sporting bodies choosing regional Victorian destinations for major events and Ballarat can look forward to an influx of basketball players, support crew and fans for the Under 20s National Championships.
Through Visit Victoria, we’re backing exciting events that drive more visitors into regional Victoria to experience great events and explore everything on offer.”
Australian Olympians who have played in the U20’s event include Australian Opals captain Tess Madgen, Ezi Magbegor, Marianna Tolo, and Australian Boomer and NBA star Dante Exum.
Tyrese Proctor who is currently on the path to the NBA at Duke University and Dyson Daniels who plays with the Pelicans in the NBA also represented their States at this event.
Basketball Australia CEO Matt Scriven is delighted with Ballarat as a destination for this event.
“The Footlocker National Championships is an important part of the development pathway for athletes. Regional Victoria is a great destination for this event, it is the heartland of our sport with thousands of kids playing in stadiums each week. The games will be extremely competitive, and I encourage people to come and watch the Olympians of the future.”
Referees from all over Australia will officiate at the event. The event will have three days of pool games and three days of finals culminating in the Grand Final on Sunday
Tickets to the event are onsale here
