Erin McKernan hopes to one day represent Australia on the basketball court. 50693
By Casey Neill
ERIN McKernan dreams of playing basketball for Australia and is steadily making her way to the top.
The 15-year-old from Ferny Creek was recently a key player in the Vic Metro team’s gold medal victory at the Under 16 Australian Junior Championships in Logan, Queensland.
McKernan said even being selected in the side was amazing.
“I got picked on my birthday so that was even better,” she said.
The grand final against Queensland South was unlike any other match she’d played.
“It was a bit surreal with all the video cameras and the stands and everything – trying to block out all the noise and the people cheering against you,” she said.
McKernan notched up seven points, three rebounds and three assists in the 82-50 win.
The Vic Metro Women’s team has now claimed 11 consecutive Under 16 Australian Junior Championships titles.
Women’s team head coach Jonathan Goodman said the girls put in a fantastic effort to rise above the 14 other teams from Australia and New Zealand.
“All through the week they were focussed and unified,” he said.
McKernan averaged just over six points, three rebounds and two assists across the eight games from three to 10 July.
She scored 12 points and three rebounds in her highest scoring game of the tournament, the semi-final match against Vic Country.
The 176-centimetre tall Mater Christi College student plays for the Knox City Cougars in the junior domestic competition.
She followed her older brothers and sisters into the sport at age six and was playing representative basketball by eight.
“I dream of playing for Australia,” she said.
She’ll take her talents as far as she can, with college basketball in America high on her list.
