U20 Nationals: Top 8 Finishes for our Men & Women

It was a strong showing at the 2025 Footlocker U20 Nationals for both our Men’s and Women’s representative teams, with each side securing a Top 8 finish and showcasing the depth of talent in our region.

U20 Men – 5th Place

Led by coaches Sam Fielding and Noah McDowall, the U20 Men opened their campaign with an impressive 105–91 victory over Franklin. Despite a tough loss to the eventual champions later that day, the team rebounded with a commanding 95–76 win over Waikato Country, securing second place in their pool.

They carried that momentum into a dominant 106–72 win over Taranaki in the crossover round, setting up a highly anticipated quarter-final clash against Harbour. In a hard-fought battle, the boys narrowly fell short but showed great resilience to close the tournament with back-to-back wins over Counties Manukau and an overtime thriller against Wellington to claim 5th place overall.

Mitchell Robinson had a standout tournament, averaging 20.8 points per game and earning a spot among the Top 10 scorers.

U20 Women – 6th Place

The U20 Women, coached by Alf Arlidge, faced a challenging start with narrow losses to Harbour “A” and Canterbury. However, they bounced back in style with a dominant 40-point win over Harbour “B”, booking a quarter-final matchup with eventual champions Tauranga. While that game didn't go their way, the team showed tremendous heart and bounced back once again with a statement 91–70 win over Auckland.

A second meeting with Harbour “A” followed and although the team once again came up just short, they earned a well-deserved 6th place finish in a highly competitive field. Tia Pavihi (18.5 ppg) and Elise Carline (18.3 ppg) were both named among the tournament’s Top 10 scorers, capping off an outstanding campaign for the team.

Basketball Otago extends a heartfelt thank you to all players, coaches, supporters and staff for their dedication and effort throughout the U20 campaign!

Photo credits: Basketball New Zealand & Malcolm Duff