BATHURST'S Jonathan Limbrick is taking his talents overseas during the Easter weekend as he hopes to take an Australian representative Country Cup team to glory in New Zealand.
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Limbrick and his teammates are chasing top division success in the Mel Young Easter Classic at Tauranga, running from Friday through to Monday.
The Bathurst player is one of just three New South Wales representatives in the travelling squad that boasts a Central West flavour with Lithgow's Adam Majoram in the coach's role.
Limbrick's exceptional performance at the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup for the under 16 NSW Kookaburra side earned him a place on the tour.
"I'd found out that I'd made the team on the last day of the tournament at Albury," he said.
"There was only 10 people from across Australia chosen for the team. I'm really looking forward to competing with athletes at the highest level
"I was not confident of being picked at all. We were playing against some really good teams and really good players.
"I don't think the selection ever really set in. It might only do so once I'm over there and competing.
"My dad is also going to New Zealand as well - I'm grateful he'll be there to support me."
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The Bathurst player comes into the tournament with plenty of challenging basketball under his belt after taking part in the Academy Games with the Western Region Academy of Sport under 16s team.
He didn't just take part, either. He played a big hand in one of WRAS' best results in the boys basketball for some time.
WRAS won all four of their games on the opening day as they accounted for Northern Inland, Central Coast, Illawarra, and South East Sports Academies.
In a thrilling matchup with North Coast Academy the WRAS boys went down by three points.
"It was a great experience," Limbrick said.
"I got to meet a lot of people and I caught up with lots of team mates from the NSW Country team.
"The level of competition was more challenging than representative Goldminers games and I really enjoyed competing against other academies."
Limbrick also gave thanks to the WRAS coaching staff of Grant Cole (head coach), Craig Harvey, Scott Holmes (assistant coaches), Jack McCormack (apprentice coach) and Linda Philpott (manager).
Round robin matches at the Easter Classic take place Friday and Saturday with finals to follow on Sunday.