KORUMBURRA Basketball Association is getting behind its five teams entered in the 2025 Victorian Junior Basketball League.

This season, the Korumburra Basketball Association have 56 players competing in the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL).

These players represent the association, but are from across South Gippsland and Bass Coast, from Phillip Island to Foster. 

A huge achievement this year was the U16 girls’ selection into the VC competition – the highest competition in the VJBL.

Having just played round seven, the U16s are sitting seventh on the ladder in a very tight competition.

“After nine rounds in VC – once you’ve played all the teams – the competition splits into two and becomes VC and VC Reserve,” Korumburra’s VJBL coordinator Shelley Whelan said.

“At the moment, they look like they might be in VC Reserve – which is still the best teams in the competition – but with two games to go, there may still be a chance to qualify.”

Grading for VJBL started in November and January, and the season has been underway since March.

The U16s have won three games and lost four so far.

They were selected for VC after being deemed amongst the state’s best during the competition grading.

Amongst the team is Ruby Ogilvy, Ashlee Spark and Billie Peterson, who were also selected for the U16 Vic Country side.

The girls also participate in special development programs with Basketball Victoria.

They usually train together once a week, working around their commitments to the state programs. 

“They were just a really good team. Some of them have been playing together for a couple of years now,” Shelley said.

The girls are coached by Andrew McFarland, who came to the association from Phillip Island.

Andrew has been coaching the VJBL side for three years and was recently named the association’s Coach of the Year for the Rep Season.

Korumburra Basketball Association have also entered the U12 boys, U14 boys, U14 girls and U16 boys in the VJBL competition.