East Coast Challenge is a tourny for 16's & 18's?

I heard the little man's not confident with his current SASI squad, so thats why they not going

If anon,as you say, he has little confidence in them, maybe to improve, the SASI kids need to be allocated to teams rather than be all in the same one, two or three teams.
It makes less sense than I can see for some district teams to be made up almost completely of SASI squad members as all they get precious little competitive play.
Perhaps SASI should look at introducing rules for future squad members that restrict SASI players to 2 or 3 per team. Maybe we'd get a half decent competition then.

Works: why if getting thrashed by 80 points is so bad, and I agree, do we allow district to be so one sided across so many div 1 age groups?
Ridiculous: No Im not suggesting developed players be banned from playing but at least 2 clubs seem to be able to 'recruit' SASI players or promise talented players a SASI gig. There are Clubs running full of SASI players and not developed by their curent club so I think we need to be look at it and I'll be the first say its a hard one but having such a lopsided comp is worse.

That's a crazy thought, penalising clubs who develop talent.

What is the selection process for SASI?

sasi should be picked on a yearly bases some players are really good under 14 but by the time they reach under 18 they have not improved why you have players that have improved are not in sasi. SASI is all a load of shit

There are a vast number of SASI players who dont play for the original club they were in at the time of SASI selection.

SA Country are attending both the Country Cup & the Slam?

SA Country Basketball Program have got their act together, U/15 SA Country Boy's and Girls would absoulutely thump the Metro U/15 Boy's and Girl's Teams...

The country program seems to have overtaken SASI and supposedly SASI is even run Saturdays by country coaches. Definitely more effort on all fronts put into country kids than metro kids and country's influence extends across district clubs to the AIS.
While the talent in metro might be better it seems more energy is put into extending country talent. Have to wonder why anyone from the city would want to be in SASI or why those that are stay.

why can't we all just get along?
Surely we've all got a common goal?

"If the country program has 'overtaken' SASI, then why have they not produced an AIS scholarship athlete without metro clubs and SASI?"

Don't be daft. When had a metro kid made AIS without SASI?

People bitching about SASI?

*yawn*

At least it took 8 posts this time to become a boring SAC v SAM "mine is bigger than yours"-fest.

Ridiculous/William 27,

Perhaps you could translate the following comment made recently to a player.

"If you want to get into SASI it would be in your best interests to move to our club"

What is that supposed to mean??

Ridiculous/William 27,

Perhaps you could translate the following comment made recently to a player.

"If you want to get into SASI it would be in your best interests to move to our club"

What is that supposed to mean??

Im not saying it is you. It was the innuendo of a conversation with a player suggesting he should move clubs as if it came down to a choice between players he would be better positioned in getting the spot by being at that particular club!?!

Not so funny considering some have made the state team and better country players missed out.

Would just like to remind everyone here of a tiny detail. SASI is the South Australian Sports Institue... therefore if country players and coaches are up to that level of basketball they have the same rights to be there as metro players, and country players have the same right 2 compete in the metro competition as well. y not? if metro kids wanted to play in the country competition it wouldn't b a problem. I think everyone needs 2 remember we are talking about junior basketball here, including all the coaches (not any1 in particular) who select kids for the wrong reasons. I am a junior myself and although sometimes u do come across unfair coaches etc. even i am mature enough to realise that they are not always going to be my coach, there is always next year. If anyone wants something bad enough, for the right reasons, and are willing to work hard they will get there no matter what

I think SASI needs to be a more elite training program, considering it is meant to be the step below the ais. This isnt meant to offend anyone, but it seems to have lost its status lately. Instead of all being called sasi there should be underpining programs. The actual sasi squad should be open to all age groups, and should consist of 15 or so players for each gender. These squads should play in the ABA competition.

Is it time time to head hunt an interstate head coach for SASI and to break up the existing boys club that decides the future of 14 to 17 year olds in the state? A criticism of the present setup is that they don't see the forest for the trees and seem to nurture players very selectively. Most players would improve if exposed to the assistance given to a few. The worse thing that could happen is that it stays the same whereas the upside might be worth the change. When the king dies the succession should not go to a tyrant

Any stand-outs in the u/15 girls sasi?

SASI should be scrapped.

you sound like a disgrunted parent.

ask Lute Olsen

Yes it would "seem" that some kids get preferential treatment over others down at Valetta Rd; however you have to put it in some form of perspective.

The kids that "seem" to get extra help are usually above average players that have been standouts in their grades for years, or so damn tall that you could make them into a good player with a little effort.

Some times you need a reality check and have to realise that as a parent maybe your child just isnt as talented as the next kid.

We are grateful that our child has been given the oppertunity to train at sasi for one day a week, because there are some kids currently playing that have not got that advantage, that would give an arm to be included.

In this case giving an arm is one of the worst choices one could make...

My mail on the East Coast Challenge is that Vic Metro don't take it seriously, NSW Metro don't field their best players & the ACT teams are about as good as a middle of the road team here, playing in an extremely uncomfortable venue in 40 degree heat over four days.

Personally I think their current set up in Pt Macquarie would beat this hands down. Sounds like great preparation for our State teams for 2008.

I wonder if the door in Pt Macquarie is closed for the future now that SA Country have taken up the option?

Metro are yesterday as country have direct lines to the AIS.

SA Metro get to give 40 players & 8 coaches this opportunity (If they take four teams), How does this compare with the numbers of both players & coaches SAC will take away this January?

Develop & underpin your program for future years

William 27, You just dont get it.

#160466 - Vic Metro take this seriously as a talent Identification process and they do not go into it half arsed. In the last 2 yrs, three bottom aged boys who went to the ECC ended up being in the Last 15 of the Metro team in U/16's. The following year they made their team which went back to back at Nationals.

NSW Metro with the change in ITCP Head Coach take it very seriously as they are working at making it part of their State process.

Whilst you can make a State team in Victoria without going to the ECC, it is a great grounding for the younger players to get an idea on the level of skill needed to make the team, recovery techniques and also liasing with coaches and players other than their club.

The addition of the ACT and SASI is a great boost for the concept as we take everyone serious whilst representing Victoria. SA will be good next year in the 18's and not too sure of 16's as I have not followed them up to now. However, it is great to have the SA kids along.

East coast challenge has only been running for two years now. Both years the only two groups playing have been VIC metro and NSW metro, and they're looking to expand the round robin this year so the meet doesn't just consist of VIC metro beating down on NSW metro teams several times each day. The first year of the competition NSW metro's only true performance in the tournament was the u18 mens drawing with the VICS in the last match of the whole meet; every single other game the VICs won in almost embarrassingly easy fashion. Then last year the NSW teams managed to find a win or two but hardly managed to trouble the vics.
So I think its great that SA'ers are joining in on the VICS annual beatdown of NSW! Who knows the victorians might even break a sweat playing an SA team in the 45 degree weather they usually get.

Guys, I have to tell you that it will not be the case of the Vics beating on everyone. If the other States decide to treat it as a road trip and not put expectations on coaches and players, then the Vics may pound on them, however if the other States treat it as a development trip and expect coaches and players to put into practise what they have been taught at their respective ITCP sessions, then it will be a great tournament for all.

It still gets hot at Elthan / Dandy Tournament guys. I think the biggest out, is that parents , coaches and players use it to " Have a run " and give some younger players a go without any expectations. There is massive expectations from the Vics to be able to transfer what has been taught to them at ITCP training and not just " win ". I am sure that after all the bagging that the SASI coaches receive here, that they would be expecting the same as the other States ITCP programs.

So, Let's put it back on to the kids and coaches to produce what they are being taught, instead of bagging the teacher when it comes time for Nationals or SASI selections.

the tournament will be a good chance to get a feel for the real depth of the vic, sa and nsw teams especially at under 18's level. it'll give a chance for some younger players to step up seeing as a few spots will be open due to the latest AIS scholarship'ers not playing in the tournement. hope that there are some decent games in their at least.
are they going to be posting results up on the internet?

NSW Basketball usually do a good job of that, Normally will have them up after the days games at the latest.

Team selections were based upon performance throughout the year at SASI. The people that need to know.

Closed shop:
Re recognition for players and coaches.
Players deserve the recognition and Im sure their peers know who got in.
Regarding coaches recognition, just look up coaches for these tours for the past decade and send congratulations to them for the next decade as well.

Looked up for your address and number in the phone book 'what the?' and couldnt see your listing, are you one of those anonymous, numerous cowards not game to puy your name on the post too?
For a multtude of reasons people post anonymously and their concerns are no less valid. By all means attack venomous posts but get off your high horse and realise having tag attached to a post is not necessarilly a recipe for honesty.

I would ask the players and coaches if they thought the East Coast Challenge was worth the effort and money spent in contrast to the PCS.

Would like to hear their response

Vic coach.

Vic coach,

My son says: Absolutely worth it!

The competition was harder than PCS and therefore the kids get more out of it, the was travel 6 hrs less, the costs about the same (but he doesn't foot them...), and a great time was had by all.

Metro almost exclusively beat country at the Nationals swampy. PCS is an underage comp and therefore the kids attending have not been in the full SASI program so it would be hard to gauge their merits based on that.
Where did you coach against SA country teams and at what age level?
Re SASI teams being better than the other teams at PCS, I'd say for the most part they were. What was not up to scratch was the officiating, the structure and the planning of the comp right dow to the lack of results' posting.
NZ teams acros the board are sub standard, that is from the ALbury tournament where they did poorly and the under age comp at PCS. Vigorous, aggrssive and underskilled but way behind in coaching and talent.
The SASI ECC recently completed saw U18 girls win and U18 boys come second, the U16 girls came third and U16 boys 4th. All these teams were made up of first and second years which suggest your claims of not as goood as they should be is a bit hollow.
SAC much vaunted teams have, at Albury underachieved and to date at the PCS have beaten NZ teams.

Swampy,

SASI won both boys titles last year. I think they'd taken the 15 boys title 3 or 4 years in a row. Not sure about the rest.

No-one is saying that SASI is too good for the Vic Country, NSW Country and NSW Metro teams at PCS - far from it, it's just that you may play only half your games against them, with the other half against some of the 3 or 4 NZ teams, or the local team - all of whom are WAY behind the standard most if not every year. It is hard to develop the group in ~100 point beatdowns. When you weigh up the benefits against costs etc., a decision was made to go to ECC instead.

Whilst I will refrain from the ultra-boring SAC v SAM war, I think the SAC girls result from today (assuming the score in another thread was roughly correct) shows why SASI didn't go. Those girls are not gaining as much in a 117-27 thrashing as they would against tougher opposition. And I DO think SAC gains huge benefits with the Country Cup and, whilst I don't know the results in detail, I know the competition is there for developoment to be enhanced.