On Wednesday, Indigenous Basketball Australia, founded by Kokatha / Muralag NBA player Patty Mills, launched its 17 and under National Indigenous Basketball Tournament at the Northside Wizards in Zillmere, Meanjin.
Founded in 2020, Indigenous Basketball Australia (IBA) are focused on creating opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people to succeed on and off the basketball court.
Whilst Mills was unable to attend the opening ceremony, his wife, Alyssa Mills gave thanks and praise to the athletes involved whilst acknowledging Traditional Owners.
"Congratulations to all of you that made it here today, it's a huge accomplishment to part of the NIBT (National Indigenous Basketball Tournament)," she said.
"I know that Patty and I are so proud of every single one of you and everything you have achieved so far."
The event was graced by prominent Indigenous figures, including Yamatji icon Ernie Dingo and former Illawarra Hawk, Tyson Demos.
Young talent from across the nation including Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, the Torres Strait, Northern Territory, and Victoria converged to participate in this prestigious sporting event.
Prior to any basketball action, all participating players paid homage to their culture by performing traditional dances unique to their regions.
These displays were led by selected Elders, preserving and sharing the richness of Australia's Indigenous cultures.
The competition is currently in its second day with a livestream available on the IBA Facebook Page.
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The tournament ends on Saturday, where the boys and girls grand finals will determine who goes home with the ultimate bragging rights.
More to come.
