New addition to Marshall the troops

Young emerging star Ally Marshall has been welcomed to the Eltham Wildcats for the NBL1 2022 season.

Ally is another product from the powerful Eastern Districts Junior Basketball Association (EDJBA), the competition of which has become a pipeline to the Eltham NBL1 program. Starting out at the Koonung Comets, Ally was a talented player from a very young age, playing her Junior Championship beginnings with Bulleen.

Marshall reflected on her beginnings “The EDJBA association shined a light on the importance of enjoying yourself whilst playing the sport. It allowed me to play and discover the game and that’s where my love for basketball grew before I ever knew how far I was going to go with it. I still see kids around in my area wearing the Koonung gear, bringing me back some good memories. I love that club, and what it did for me and what it’s doing for so many young people, it was the perfect beginning for me. Lots of great coaches and people I met there.”

Ally’s Junior Championship days were part of a strong Bulleen outfit, one that included an U14 National Championship title and a subsequent trip to Florida for the Jr NBA World Championships, alongside the U14 Boys from Eltham.

Ally continued; “A nationals title and a trip to Florida, how lucky were we? Those experiences are a once in a lifetime, and I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to experience them!”

Graduating from the junior ranks of U18’s in 2021, and after a long and distinguished Victorian state team career, Marshall now makes her first steps into senior basketball, making the move to Eltham for the NBL1 season.

“For a long time, Ally has caused our junior coaches a lot of problems! She has been a high achiever since she took up the sport, having been a regular on the Victorian state teams and high-performance programs, collecting state and national titles along the way. We believe with our track record in fostering and supporting young players in their transition to senior basketball and with the playing leadership around her, Ally is well placed to have an impact immediately in 2022.” Eltham CEO Greg Jeffers said. “Between Grant Hardy, Matt Bongetti and Paula Hogan, we’ve got the experience in the coaching staff to continue her progress forward as a player.”

As a young player emerging into the senior ranks, Ally’s view on NBL1 demonstrates its importance to young people in the region “I’m glad there’s a pathway for younger kids playing basketball to look upto and strive for. I can’t wait to see more young emerging players come through the ranks!”

The Eltham Wildcats will continue to announce players in the weeks ahead on the build-up to the 2022 NBL1 season.

The NBL1 represents the highest level achievable for players, coaches, technical officials and game day staff in the Eltham Wildcats pathway. It provides individuals in the north-east of Melbourne with a chance to be exposed to the national leagues. The Eltham Wildcats aim to have teams that strongly represent the north-east of Melbourne and players who’ve come through the Eastern Districts Junior Basketball Association (EDJBA).