In 2023, Geelong United Basketball has been represented in Victorian Junior Basketball League competition by 45 teams.
This Friday night marks the second week of finals for our under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-18 VJL teams.
For our VC, VC Reserve and under-20 teams, it’s the first week of playoff action.
NB: VC and VC Reserve finals series are a top-eight format.
UNDER-20 BOYS
20B1 – VJL2 (9th)
An 81-59 road loss to Wyndham to finish the season for the 20 Ones. Finished ninth with four wins and a draw.
20B2 – VJL4 (3rd) – vs. Keilor (2) @ Eagle Stadium, 9:40pm
Already locked into a qualifying final, the 20 Twos warmed up for a qualifying final meeting with Keilor with a 61-52 victory over Diamond Valley thanks to 19 points from Marcus Wharton and 14 from Jesse Bell. Will be confident of toppling the Thunder after an 11-point win less than a month ago.
UNDER-18 GIRLS
18G1 – VC Reserve (6th) – vs. Collingwood (1) @ Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, 9:40pm
The 18 Ones stayed sixth after seeing off a short-handed Melbourne Tigers 49-28, with Georgia Bodey’s 14 points best for GU. Now face Collingwood in a 6 v 7 elimination final, who they defeated 51-19 on July 21.
18G2 – VJL 6 (5th) – vs. Wallan @ RecWest – Braybrook, 9:40pm
Might have lost both regular-season meetings with Broadmeadows, but the 18 Twos prevailed over the Broncos 36-24 in an even team performance in an elimination final. Now face Wallan for a spot in a preliminary final. GU split the meetings with the Panthers during the season.
UNDER-18 BOYS
18B1 – VJL1 (1st) – vs. Keilor (2) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 8:40pm
After earning direct passage to the second semi-final, the 18 Ones will face qualifying final winners Keilor for the first spot in the grand final. GU recorded a 57-37 win in Round 3 and a 70-45 result in Round 12.
18B2 – VJL4 (1st) – vs. Melbourne Tigers (3) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 9:40pm
Like the Ones, the Twos enjoyed a week off as regular season champions. Melbourne Tigers will be GU’s opponents in the second semi-final. It was our boys by two points in Round 4 and six points in Round 13, which likely means another close one.
18B4 – VJL 7 (2nd) – vs. Whittlesea (3) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 9:40pm
Will look to put the double chance earned during the regular season to good use. After suffering a 42-31 loss to Keilor, the 18 Fours face Whittlesea in a knockout semi-final. GU came out on top both times against the Pacers during the year.
UNDER-16 GIRLS
16G1 – VC Champ (7th) – vs. Dandenong (1) @ Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, 9:40pm
For the second time in as many weeks, the 16 Ones will face Dandenong. This time the stakes are higher, with a cutthroat elimination final on the cards at MSAC. The Rangers snuck home 60-59 after overcoming a 10-point half-time deficit. The combination of Miley Dawkins (17 points) and Jasmine King (13) will again be looked to to keep GU’s season alive.
16G3 – VJL6 (1st) – vs. Keilor (3) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 7:40pm
The 16 Threes will face qualifying final winner Keilor for the first spot in the grand final. GU won both meetings with the Thunder during the regular season. However, the combined margin was just six points, including by the barest of margins in Round 14.
16G4 – VJL7 (3rd) – vs. Bulleen (5) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 9:40pm
The 16 Fours fell three points short of retaining the double-chance, suffering a 30-27 qualifying final loss to Sunbury. GU now faces Bulleen, which it split its two regular season match-ups with, to keep its title hopes alive.
UNDER-16 BOYS
16B1 – VC Reserve (2nd) – vs. Keilor (4th) @ @ Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, 9:40pm
The 16 Ones claimed the regular season championship after beating McKinnon in a thriller, 83-80. Now face Keilor for a spot in a preliminary final. GU held off the Thunder, 55-50, on June 16.
16B2 – VJL4 (2nd) – vs. Eltham (3) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 8:40pm
The 16 Twos will have t take the long route to the title after falling to Melbourne Tigers, 50-43, in the qualifying final. It’s back to Werribee for a semi-final against Eltham, which GU had the better of both times in the regular season. However, the second win was by just two points.
16B3 – VJL5 (3rd) – vs. Sunbury (3) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 8:40pm
The 16 Threes will have two cracks at playing for a title after overcoming Whittlesea, 41-36, in the qualifying final, with Luka Arsenijevic leading the way with 11 points.
16B4 – VJL8 (4th) – vs. Keilor (5) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 8:40pm
Back to Werribee for the 16 Fours for a meeting with Keilor after comfortably seeing off Coburg with an impressive first-half defensive effort in the elimination final. GU conceded just ten points in opening up a match-winning 16-point half-time lead. A three-point win over Keilor in Round 13 will give the team plenty of confidence of advancing to a preliminary final.
16B5 – VJL9 (4th)- vs. Keilor (6) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 9:40pm
Our favourite basketball-related saying at this time of the year is “survive and advance”, and that’s what the 16 Fives did in beating Melbourne Tigers, 37-31, in the elimination final. A draw and a 23-point loss were the outcomes of GU’s meetings with Keilor during the regular season.
16B7 – VJL10 (4th) – vs. Coburg (5) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 9:40pm
The brothers Staff combined for 34 points as the 16 Sevens stormed home with a 23-15 final period to beat Wyndham, 60-57, in the elimination final, Micah finished with 22 points and Zachariah had 12 to help setup a meeting with Coburg in the first semi-final. GU won the Round 7 meeting with the Giants, who exacted revenge in Round 16.
16B9 – VJL12 (4th) – vs. Craigieburn (4) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 7:40pm
A second win over Melbourne Tigers in a fortnight has earned the 16 Nines a meeting with Craigieburn in a first semi-final. The Eagles won both meetings during the regular season.
UNDER-14 GIRLS
14G2 – VJL 5 (3rd) – vs. Cragieburn (2) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 7:40pm
Another thriller against Bacchus Marsh, but this time the 14 Twos were on the wrong end of the result. They will now face Craigieburn in a knockout semi-final. GU won both meetings during the regular season by a combined 25 points.
UNDER-14 BOYS
14B1 – VC Championship (6th) – vs. Camberwell (1) @ Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, 8:20pm
Finished the regular season in sixth spot following a five-point loss to Keilor. The 14 Ones will now look to keep their title hopes alive by beating Camberwell in an elimination final. When the two teams met in Round 5, GU came out on top by 47 points.
14B3 – VJL4 (1st) – vs. Melbourne Tigers (2) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 7:40pm
The 14 Threes will battle Melbourne Tigers for a spot in the grand final after Tigers overcame Melton in the qualifying final. GU registered wins by 10 and 28 points in the two regular season meeting with Tigers.
14B4 – VJL5 (3rd) – vs. Broadmeadows (3) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 7:40pm
After overcoming Broadmeadows (2) in overtime in the qualifying final, GU will face the Broncos’ thirds for a spot in the grand final. In Round 4, Broadmeadows got home by eight points. In Round 13, GU overran the Broncos to claim a three-point victory.
14B5 – VJL9 (4th) – vs. Kyneton (1) @ Keilor Stadium, 7:40pm
The Fives led the Eights by one point at three-quarter time, but it was the latter who finished the stronger, consigning the Fives to a knockout semi-final against Kyneton. The Tigers won both meetings during the regular season.
14B6 – VJL9 (1st) – vs. Geelong United (8) @ AWA Alliance Bank Stadium, 7:20pm
The Sixes will meet the Eights, who beat the Fives, for a spot in the grand final. The loser will hopefully meet the Fives in a preliminary final.
14B7 – VJL12 (1st) – vs. Whittlesea (5) @ RecWest – Braybrook, 8:40pm
Have waited a fortnight for their first final. The Sevens have a meeting with Whittlesea, which they beat twice during the regular season, including by 17 points in Round 17.
14B8 – VJL9 (2nd) – vs. Geelong United (6) @ AWA Alliance Bank Stadium, 7:20pm
Outlasted the Fives, 53-45, to earn a shot at the Sixes in the second semi-final thanks to 18 points from Kayde Paley. The winner will book a grand final berth. The loser will play the winner of the Fives’ semi-final matchup with Kyneton.
UNDER-12 GIRLS
12G1 – VJL1 (5th) – vs. Whittlesea @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 6:40pm
Led by 14 points from Asha Albones and 12 from Livinia Wilson, the 12 Ones overcame Broadmeadows, 34-28, to remain in title contention. Will now meet Whittlesea for a preliminary final berth. The Pacers won both meetings during the regular season.
12G2 – VJL4 (3rd) – vs. Eltham (4) @ Eagle Stadium – Werribee, 6:40pm
The 12 Twos will have to take the long way to the title after losing the qualifying final to Sunbury, 30-19. They will now face Eltham. GU won the Round 7 meeting by seven points, with the Wildcats getting up by eight points in Round 16.
UNDER-12 BOYS
12B1 – VC Reserve (4th) – vs. Bulleen (1) @ Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, 7:00pm
The 12 Ones will enter the finals full of confidence as they face Bulleen for the second time in as many weeks following a 56-38 victory over the Boomers in the final round of the regular season. The win, highlighted by 19 points from Henry Wilson and 15 from Lincoln De Lange, guaranteed the Ones a double chance.
12B2 – VJL2 (4th)
Eltham’s dominance of the 12 Twos from the regular season carried over to the elimination final, with the Wildcats’ 12-6 final quarter leading to a 29-18 win.
12B3 – VJL4 (4th)
Suffered a heartbreaking elimination final loss to Bellarine, 40-37. Trailing by seven points at three-quarter time, the 12 Threes outscored the Storm 12-8 in the final term but it wasn’t enough to keep their season alive.
