Albany basketball young guns Billy McRae, Evan Delbene, Harry Watters and Keely Berry itching for nationals

Four Albany basketball young guns are geared up with a “point to prove” as they head to Queensland to represent WA Country in the Foot Locker Under-18 National Championships next week. Billy McRae, Evan Delbene, Harry Watters and Keely Berry were selected after showing their impressive talents at a gruelling six-month trial camp in Perth which started in Perth in November. It marks McRae’s fifth selection in the State side, while Delbene and Berry have been selected three times and it will be Watters’ maiden State appearance when they all travel across the country. McRae, who was selected for Basketball Australia’s National Performance Camp in January, said he is honoured to represent WA and is out to prove he can be the best player in the country. “It’s always a pretty good honour to represent the State,” he said. “I just want to prove that we can compete with the best teams in the country, like we have got a pretty good pool but I just want to prove that we can compete with them guys. “After going to the camp and everything I want to prove that I’m one of the best players in the country (for my age) and not with a selfish mindset.” McRae has played a lot of juniors with Watters and Delbene and said it will be a “pretty cool moment” if he can share the court with two long-time teammates. Delbene, the top scorer of the 2023-24 Albany Basketball Association men’s A-grade, expressed his determination to use disappointing results at previous national championships as fuel for achieving greater success. “It’s such a privilege to be picked and hopefully we make the finals team, we usually get ranked pretty low,” Delbene said. “To prove people wrong and get our team in a higher rank would just be pretty awesome. “We’re going in as underdogs and we will use that to our advantage . . . I’m keen to get the ball and just shoot it.” At 15 years of age, talented three-point shooter Watters will be one of the youngest players in the under-18s tournament but is eager just to play his role. “As a team, we really want to make finals and do better than previous years so I’ll just bring the ball up and try and get plays going for people like Billy (McRae) and Evan (Delbene) to get to the hoop and score,” he said. ABA’s under-18 women’s player of the year Berry was honoured to be selected for WA again. “It’s awesome to be picked, such a privilege and great achievement,” she said. “I’m a post and wing player and I want to do the best we can and hopefully we make the top eight.” Each side will play five games across the five-day round-robin tournament held at South Pine Sports Complex in Brendale, starting on Sunday. The boys side faces Queensland South in the opener before taking on Tasmania, Victoria Metro, South Australia Metro then NSW Country. The girls team squares off with Vic Country before taking on Queensland South, NSW Metro, ACT and SA Country. ABA president Darren Berry said the quartet’s selection is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the coaches through the association’s Raiders program which facilitates the development of junior basketballers throughout the Great Southern.