SASSAFRAS Primary School has blasted through the McDonalds Hooptime Championships, winning in the district and regional competitions and competing state-wide to come ninth out of the 542 competitors.
The school’s grade three and four team, The Sassafras Storm, was pitted against 31 other teams in the state championships in the showdown on Thursday 29 November at Dandenong Stadium.
The day was forecast to reach almost 40 degrees and inside the stadium it only got hotter as the teams battled to claim the mantle of Victoria’s champions.
Sassafras Storm finished third in the group stage after a couple of narrow losses, still making it into the knockout stage against the Berwick Fields team and walking away victorious.
Teacher and sports co-ordinator at Sassafras Primary School Stacey Goodger said that by this point it was “survival of the fittest”.
“We made the last 16 teams and were scheduled to play the Sacred Heart Heat,” she said.
“They were a formidable opponent, much bigger and with a team of 10 rotating the bench, we struggled from the opening moment.
“We showed our grit and determination and stuck at it the whole game.”
However, Sassafras Storm lost to the Sacred Heart Heat which went on to become the runners up of the tournament.
Sassafras Storm finished ninth out of the total 542 teams competing in the grade three and four section of Future Stars and Mrs Goodger said the players put in a fantastic effort.
“Congratulations to Ethan, Liam, Riley, Noah, Amity, Casey, Jasslyn and Jake and thanks to the parents for their wonderful support,” she said.
McDonalds Hooptime Basketball Competitions are a series of round-robins held at basketball stadiums state-wide, with a shorter format, and have been running for 28 years.
For information about the McDonalds Hooptime Basketball Competitions, visit www.hooptimebasketball.com.au.
