Shoot For Three

In the international stage, we were a little late to the party when it came to basketball – we didn’t quite get the first memo on the sport that has taken over the culture of the US - but we made a bang of an entrance once we finally did.

The third best basketball nation in the world, Australia is enjoying its golden age in the sport, and in turn its golden generation, and here in the Whitsundays, it’s our locals’ chance to become a part of one of the fastest growing sports in the country.

A team of passionate locals in the Whitsundays have been fostering the growth of basketball in the region, continuing to teach youngsters from their own expertise, as well as with the help of special guests during training camps and tournaments.

Tim Oberg has been at the vanguard over the last two years, taking basketball from nowhere to having a strong core of young players, and with the goals in mind of bringing in the seniors, masters, and representative competitions for Far North Queensland from the Whitsundays.

“My favourite thing about junior basketball is for starters that the boys and the girls get to play together, they learn to understand each other,” Tim said.

“The skills too, the passing, the catching, and your general fitness are all integral for young kinds.”

Now the Whitsundays is entering the game, and there’s the potential for the next generations Patty Mills to be Whitsunday Basketball alumni.

Played on a basketball court, the basics are to score in the oppositions hoop – scoring more than your opponent wins you the game. It’s a game accessible to anyone of any build, even though tall players often dominate the national circuits. A small player can be a point guard, a small forward. A tall player, a power forward or a centre.

Whitsunday Basketball are excellent teachers, both in Bowen and Airlie Beach. You can find out more about their training schedules for your township here - whitsundaybasketball.com.

‍