Women Claim Bronze
Banner Image “2025 U20 National Champions: Canterbury Basketball. Photo BBNZ”
The Canterbury Men’s U20s team have won a decisive championship at the Footlocker U20 National Tournament in Tauranga over the weekend, whilst whilst the Women’s U20 side have claimed bronze following a tough loss to the Tauranga side that eventually claimed gold.
Going undefeated in their 2025 campaign, the Men’s Championship is their 3rd in 4 years, with Tama Isaac claiming back to back MVPs, Ihaka Cate making tournament team along with Ophelia Powell on the Women’s side.
Long time team Manager Kelvin Fisher agreed the boys were “clinical” in their title run, with players up and down the bench making key contributions in every game.
Always steady Head Coach Jayden Cameron said [he was] “Extremely grateful to be coaching such a talented and humble group of young men. The boys bought in to our play style/vision and the team and the effective in filling their roles within a team. The amount of sacrifice that the players made to be a part of a championship group was impressive.”
Even with the injury to “The Orange Swiss Army Knife” Jake Holme (seen below still supporting his teammates) Canterbury looked like they would once again be the team to beat, winning their first four games by an average of 67 points before entering the playoffs.
