The country’s top emerging talent will converge on Red Energy Arena for a week-long showcase of elite junior basketball, with athletes representing their States and Territories from July 4-12.
Held during the June/July school holiday period, the U16 National Champs serve as the first opportunity for many athletes to represent at the national level, marking an important step in Australia’s junior talent pathway.
Red Energy Arena will host the event for the third consecutive year, with Bendigo cemented as the home of Australia’s premier U16 national pathway event.
Teams from across Australia will battle through pool games across the opening rounds before progressing into finals and classification matchups later in the week, culminating in the gold medal games on Sunday, July 12.
Locals and travellers can access tickets via INTIX.
SCHEDULE
The tournament schedule will feature:
Pool rounds will take place from 4 - 9 July, with the classification and finals occurring from 10 - 12 July, where the tournament will be wrapped up and champions crowned.
Keep up to date through our broadcast partner KommunityTV to never miss a minute of the LIVE action and follow the box score through live scoring portal.
U16 WOMEN (Norma Connelly Trophy)
|
POOL A |
POOL B |
|
Victoria Metro |
New South Wales Metro |
|
Queensland South |
Queensland North |
|
Tasmania |
Victoria Country |
|
New South Wales Country |
Western Australia Metro |
|
Western Australia Country |
South Australia Metro |
|
South Australia Country |
Australian Capital Territory |
U16 MEN (Robert Young Shield)
|
POOL A |
POOL B |
|
South Australia Metro |
Victoria Metro |
|
Western Australia Country |
New South Wales Country |
|
Victoria Country |
Queensland South |
|
New South Wales Metro |
Western Australia Metro |
|
Tasmania |
South Australia Country |
|
Queensland North |
Australian Capital Territory |
|
|
Northern Territory |
HISTORY
In recent years the Norma Connolly Trophy has been up for grabs with the title changing hands for the past five years. Queensland South has claimed gold twice in the 2020s, whilst Victoria Metro reign as the current U16 National Champions.
In 2025 Victoria Metro made it a navy double, with both the men’s and women’s teams exiting Bendigo with gold around their necks. On the men’s side Victoria Metro have featured heavily, claiming the past four U16 National Championships. However, all states and territories will be vying to knock VIC Metro off the throne in 2026.
Click here for a more detailed history of the Foot Locker U16 National Championships.
BROADCAST
KommunityTV are the Official Streaming Partners of the Footlocker U16 National Championships. Watch every game LIVE here.
The Foot Locker U16 National Championships is an elite level junior event delivered by Basketball Australia and is supported by the City of Bendigo. The event is made possible thanks to Foot Locker and partners iAthletic, Spalding, Kommunity TV.
