Bendigo Youth Basketball Athletes Prepare for NBL Blitz Spotlight

Bendigo youth basketball athletes and clubs are in focus as preparations continue for the 2026 Code Sports NBL Blitz at Red Energy Arena from September 2 to 6.

Recent Tournament Sets the Scene

Bendigo hosted its largest junior basketball tournament to date with 355 teams, 1,000 games, and 15,000 attendees during the Australia Day long weekend. That scale showed the depth of local junior clubs and the demand for competitive play in the city. Clubs that fielded multiple sides in that event now have a clear pathway into the national-level NBL Blitz later this year.

Inclusion Programs Broaden Participation

The Bendigo Sports Inclusion Program has engaged hundreds of Karen and Afghan former refugees in sports like soccer, cane ball, and basketball, expanding to over 1,300 participants since 2019. Several of those participants have moved into basketball teams that compete in local junior competitions. The program supplies a steady flow of players to clubs preparing squads for the September NBL Blitz.

Grants and Scholarships Recognise Talent

Four local youth athletes received grants from the Australian Government's Local Sporting Champions program for sports including swimming, soccer, wheelchair sports, and canoeing. In 2025 the Sports Star scholarship program supported 16 young Bendigo athletes with cash and fitness memberships through the Cyril Michelsen and Maxine Crouch Trust Fund. These supports help individual players stay in their clubs while they train for bigger events such as the NBL Blitz.

Pathway to the Next Event

With the NBL Blitz now less than two months away, clubs are using the experience from the earlier tournament and the backing from inclusion and scholarship programs to finalise rosters. Players who took part in the Australia Day event or received 2025 scholarships form the core groups expected to represent Bendigo at Red Energy Arena in September.