SEVEN Newcastle Hunters prodigies have been chosen to represent NSW Country basketball teams at the Under-16 Australian Junior Championships.
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Alex Clinton, Connor Edwards, and Ethan Dawber will represent the under-16 boys side, while Kayla McSpadden, Isabel Palmer and sisters Josie and Ella Pinkerton will represent the under-16 girls.
The convoy leaves for Tasmania on Thursday.
During the championships, held in Ulverstone from July 4 to 11, each team will compete in as many as eight games - nine if they make the finals.
Catherine Turner, coach of the Newcastle Hunters under-16 girls, believes both sides are in with a fighting chance.
As a club, the Hunters ran their most successful Country Junior Basketball Tournament campaign in 15 years over the June long weekend.
Five of the club's eight teams won their divisions, including the under-16 girls.
The under-16 boys were runners-up.
Turner said the girls were strong players and could all expect significant court time at the championships.
Three of the four girls also have an advantage over the boys, being "bottom-age" players.
As 14-year-olds, they are young enough to try out for the NSW Country team again next year.
"They're a really young group and they haven't experienced a tournament like this before," Turner said.
"It might mean that they don't have any nerves [going into the competition], which is a plus.
"Then they might get a second crack at [the championships] next year."
All seven players have at least four years' experience representing Newcastle Hunters in the Country Premier League.
However, this will be their first time representing NSW Country.
"They've been lucky enough to wind up together," Turner said.
"For seven of them to be going away representing NSW Country at the same time, that's pretty amazing."