Champions! Vic Country, Vic Metro take gold

• Victoria Country beat NSW Metro 83-74, avenging a loss in the group stages of the tournament
• Victoria Metro women go undefeated, beating SA Metro by 32 points in the final
• Will Hamilton was the standout for Vic Country with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, Madison Ryan dominated for Vic Metro women with 22 points

The gold medals belong to Victoria after Victoria Country took home the men's tournament and Victoria Metro completed a dominant week, demolishing South Australia Metro in the final to take out the women's competition at the 2025 Footlocker Under-18s National Basketball Championships Moreton Bay's South Pine Sports Complex.

Sunday's grand finals capped off the eight-day tournament, where the best talent from across Australia showcased their skills on the big stage.

U18 MEN'S GRAND FINAL WRAP: VICTORIA COUNTRY DEF NSW METRO 83-74

Victoria Country caught fire to finish the tournament, beating early favourites WA Metro then NSW Metro in consecutive games to capture the national championship.

Country established their dominance early in the final against NSW Metro, taking a 21-14 lead in the first quarter behind strong interior play. NSW Metro responded in the second period, outscoring Victoria 25-17 to claim a narrow 39-38 halftime advantage. However, Victoria reclaimed control after the break, winning the third quarter 22-14 to build a seven-point cushion heading into the final frame.

The fourth quarter saw Victoria Country maintain their momentum, outscoring NSW Metro 23-21 to secure the nine-point victory. Victoria's dominance in the paint proved decisive, as they scored 60 points inside compared to NSW's 32. A critical 15-0 scoring run during the third quarter helped Victoria turn the tide and build what would eventually become a 15-point lead - their largest of the game.

Will Hamilton provided a standout all-round performance for Victoria Country with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. His presence on the glass was instrumental in Victoria's rebounding advantage (44-34). Lucas Byrne added another 17 points on efficient 7-from-11 shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds for an impressive double-double. Sonny Maxwell also starred for Country with 18 points, three rebounds and one assist in 32 minutes.

For NSW Metro, Antonio Browne carried the offensive load with 26 points, including five three-pointers on 11 attempts, along with three blocks. Browne's shooting from distance kept NSW within striking distance, but limited support from his teammates ultimately proved costly. Bol Diing contributed 16 points and four assists but struggled from the field, shooting just 5-from-16.

Victoria Country's efficiency made the difference, as they shot 50 percent from the field (33-from-66) compared to NSW Metro's 39 percent (27-from-68). Victoria also dominated the rebounding battle, particularly on the defensive end where they collected 34 boards to NSW's 25. This advantage helped limit NSW Metro to just six second-chance points while Victoria converted their offensive rebounds into 14 second-chance points.

U18 WOMEN'S GRAND FINAL WRAP: VICTORIA METRO DEF SA METRO 111-79

Victoria Metro finished their dominant tournament in perfect fashion, demolishing South Australia Metro by 32 points to add another gold medal to the state's trophy case.

Madison Ryan led the Vics from the opening tip with a 22-point, nine-assist performance as Metro bounced back from a disappointing 2024 campaign to be crowned national champions.

Metro's dominance showed early, racing out to a 36-17 lead in the first quarter with their offensive firepower was on full display as they shot an efficient 52 per cent from the field throughout the contest. Although SA Metro showed signs of life in the second quarter, outscoring Victoria 28-24, they couldn't maintain that momentum in the second half.

The third quarter proved decisive as Victoria Metro outscored their opponents 28-12 to extend their lead to 31 points. Ryan's three-pointer with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter pushed the advantage to 29 points, effectively putting the game beyond reach. Matilda Trout's offensive rebounding was exceptional, securing six offensive boards and 11 total rebounds while adding 14 points on an outstanding 6-from-7 shooting.

Victoria Metro's balanced attack featured six players scoring in double figures. Madelyn Angus provided a spark off the bench with 17 points, including five three-pointers, while Daisy Nousis added 15 points. The team's ball movement was exceptional, recording 31 assists on 46 made field goals, with Ryan leading the way with nine dimes.

Defensively, Victoria Metro forced 33 turnovers and converted them into 39 points. Their 22 steals disrupted SA Metro's offensive rhythm throughout the game. Victoria also dominated the glass with a 55-34 rebounding advantage, including 24 offensive rebounds that led to 25 second-chance points.

For SA Metro, Aspen Crase posted a solid double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Annaliese Elliott and Caitlin Hardin added 15 and 16 points respectively. Despite shooting a respectable 41 per cent from the field and 37 per cent from three-point range, SA Metro's 33 turnovers and rebounding disadvantage proved too much to overcome.

OUR U18 NATIONALS COVERAGE

• Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 and Day 5 Men's Daily Digests‍
• Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 and Day 5 Women's Daily Digests
• Grand Finals set for U18 Nationals
• Running and gunning: WA Metro catching everyone's eyes
• Michael Houben's key takeaways from day one and day two‍
• Every player at the U18 Men's National Championships‍
• A complete guide to the U18 Men's National Championships
• ‍Every player at the U18 Women's National Championships‍
• Your complete guide to the U18 Women's Nationals‍
• Heat Check: Jai Fa'ale and Sitaya Fagan stand out‍
• Meet the QLD teen prodigy with a big future