Basketball

2025

Applications for the 2025/26 intake are now CLOSED
To be notified when the next intake opens, click here to register your interest.

The SSA program provides high-performance coaching and training opportunities to up-skill athletes and assist them in progressing to higher representation within the sport of basketball.

The SSA basketball program is endorsed by Basketball NSW as the first step in the elite athlete pathway. The Southern Sports Academy basketball program aims to enhance opportunities for athletes for selection into state squads and state teams/squads and entry into BNSW Programs and higher-order steps in the BNSW pathway.

Athletes in the Basketball NSW SPP program are eligible to trial for the SSA program.

The program sits between local representative basketball and higher-order representation, such as NSW state country team selection.

The 2025 basketball program will run from October 2025 to April 2026. Athletes will graduate from the program at the 2026 Presentation Night in Mid 2026

The SSA Basketball Program is a program endorsed by Basketball NSW. The program is part of the BNSW athlete pathway and includes athletes in the Developing Athlete Program (DAP) and State Performance Plan (SPP). For further clarity, athletes who are selected to the State Performance Plan (SPP) are eligible for the SSA program.

The Academy program ‘sits’ between local representative basketball and higher order representation such as NSW State Country Team selection. The program exists to up-skill athletes and assist them in progressing to higher representation in the sport of basketball.

 

Basketball athletes receive the following:

  • Intensive training sessions by local elite coaches
  • Skill development
  • Inter-Academy Development camps
  • Injury prevention screenings and Strength and Conditioning training programs
  • Sports science fitness testing
  • Educational seminars
  • Opportunities to compete in elite events such as the Your Local Club Academy Games

Selection will be performance-based.

Athletes will be selected using the following selection protocols for 2025:

– Athletes should be competing in the U16 age groups in BNSW Leagues, including EJL, NJL, SJL, WJL, CCL or sanctioned events.
– Athletes must be born between 2011-2013 inclusive
– Registered with their local Basketball club
– Residing or schooling within the SSA catchment area.
– Athletes MUST be registered members of Basketball NSW and MUST be associated with a BNSW recognised Basketball Association.
– Athletes must reside or school within the SSA catchment area.
– BNSW may advise participating Academies of players who should be exempt from trials and gain automatic entry to a program, pending approval by SSA.
– Athletes may attend tournaments or selection trials for talent ID purposes and will be invited to participate in a program

 

Men’s Head Coach
Arch Cullen

Men’s Assistant Coach
Adam Menz

Women’s Head Coach
Adam O’Callaghan
Ben Colenso

Women’s Assistant Coach
Toni Kerr

SSA Basketball Squad Team Manager
Alexandra Brentnall

Girls
Abby Crawford
Alexis Alampi
Alexis Hocking
Anneliese Azer
Ava Rossiter
Callie Thornton
Charlotte Quinn
Emily Hardy
Emmi Mckenzie
Evie Speirs Dill
Jasmine Fitzpatrick
Lacey Thatcher
Sasha Quinn
Sophie Sullivan

Boys
Blake Di Stefano
Cooper Lloyd
Felix Solomon
Hugo Menz
Isaac Jones
Jack Passlow
Lachlan Webb
Matthew Stevens
Max Collins
Max Cullen
Ryan Crook

Our Basketball Partners

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