Top team: The Hallam Valley basketball squad, back, from left: Chris Pentland (coach), Carly, Shenae, Alex, and front: Chloe, Shontay, Kelly, Keeley and Brittany.
By Marc McGowan
HALLAM Valley Primary School basketball coach Chris Pentland has guided his grade-five and six combined squad to two statewide successes in the past month.
The Narre Warren-based school had its most recent basketball achievement last week, when its team of 11 and 12-year-old girls finished runners-up to Knox Park Primary School in the Victorian Public Schools Primary School competition.
It was a repeat of the dose from last month, when the same group also finished second to Knox Park in the state basketball challenge, Hooptime.
The school has reached some sort of state final for the past six years, although Pentland believes this year’s performances are the school’s best in its history.
“It was fantastic,” he said. “They were competing against almost 2000 other schools.”
To reach the Victorian Public Schools Primary School state-decider, Hallam Valley had to shoot its way past district opposition, before conquering Mornington Peninsula’s representative to waltz its way into the eight-strong state final.
With a trio of stars, including arguably the state’s best 12-year-old basketballer in centre Carly Mijovic, 11-year-old guard Keeley Patterson and 12-year-old guard Chloe Taylor and the team’s knowledge of Pentland’s on-court game plan, it emerged from the bunch to play Knox Park.
Unfortunately, the girls met their match at Coburg Basketball Stadium and Knox Park triumphed 44-30 after the two 20-minute halves.
It was a much tighter affair in the shorted, round-robin Hooptime format, where Knox Park needed overtime to defeat Hallam Valley 9-8 at Dandenong Basketball Stadium.
Pentland is understandably thrilled with the girls’ performance, which began with selection trials in February and ended after more than 50 games throughout the year.
“It was a case of learning how to play together and there were a lot of strategies put in place,” he said.
“I anticipate that they will continue to reach state level in the next few years.”
Pentland, a former Dandenong Ranger, has been involved with the school for nine years and has an impressive basketball background.
“As with anything at school level, if you have someone who is passionate about something, you will do well,” he said.
“I have had a few offers to coach representative basketball, but I have a young family, so that will have to wait for now.”
The girls won special uniforms for their runner-up effort in the Victorian Public Schools Primary School competition and have collated an assortment of T-shirts from their Hooptime ascension.
Their achievements were recognised at Hallam Valley’s assembly on Monday.
