Bathurst basketballer Sara Matthews features for NSW White at Australian under 20s nationals

Representing NSW White, Matthews' team would ultimately miss out on qualifying for the final after going down to NSW Blue in the semi-final 75-61, with the 19-year-old Bathurst native scoring four points.

But there was still a chance for NSW White to win bronze in a play-off between the other semi-final loser Queensland.

It was ultimately the Maroons that won the bronze medal play-off 90-63, but Matthews did manage to score the most points of her team with 20.

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Heading into the competition - which ran from May 3-7 in the central Queensland city of Mackay - Matthews featured in a player profile on the Basketball Australia Facebook page, where she said it's an honour to represent her state.

"It's always just an honour to put on this jersey and represent NSW," she said.

"It's also such a great opportunity to verse athletes from all over Australia."

Matthews and her NSW White team would win two of its three pool stage games, with 68-42 victory over Tasmania and 80-63 success against Victoria Navy, however its only loss in the pool stage came to the eventual bronze medal winners Queensland 80-74.

NSW White would book its place in the semi-finals against NSW Blue after a narrow 61-57 win over Western Australia in the quarter finals.

Throughout the tournament, Matthews would score a total of 71 points, with her biggest point tally coming against Victoria in the pool stage when she scored a total of 26.

She also managed double-digit figures against Tasmania (10), Western Australia (11) and Queensland in the bronze medal match (20), however, she managed just four points in the semi-final and didn't feature in the pool stage match against Queensland.

Matthews also achieved three double-doubles thanks to her rebounds against Tasmania (12), Victoria Navy (13) and Western Australia (12).

In the quarter final match against Western Australia, she achieved a personal best of seven assists.

The gold medal would eventually go to NSW Blue, who defeated Victoria 76-63 in the final of the Australian Under 20s Basketball Championships.

Matthews featured in last year's Australian Under 20s Basketball Championships, playing seven games for NSW, who would ultimately lose the final to Victoria 85-58.

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