8th October 2026
Author: Maree DeGeorge
Melbourne, VICTORIA – Basketball Victoria’s Victoria Select women’s team has been taking on international competition at the Park Shin-ja Cup in Cheongju, Korea, securing a win last night ahead of its final game tonight at 9pm AEDT.
After departing last Thursday night, the team has played three games against professional opposition, gaining valuable experience and representing Victorian basketball on the international stage. Tune in live on YouTube tonight to cheer them on in their final game.
Hosted by the Women’s Korean Basketball League (WKBL) from 3–12 October, the tournament features teams from Korea, Mongolia, Japan and Canada. Victoria Select’s pool includes three WKBL professional teams and a Mongolian professional team, with crossover games following pool play.
The opportunity builds on a growing relationship between Basketball Victoria and the WKBL, which has already seen junior Victoria Select girls’ teams travel to Korea.
Basketball Victoria’s GM Leagues and Competitions, Greg Jeffers, said the tour was an exciting step in creating more international opportunities for women.
“Over the years, we’ve seen ‘Select’ men’s teams have opportunities to attend international tournaments or play international games. We’ve been exploring similar opportunities for women’s teams, so when this one came about, we jumped at the chance to ensure women in Victoria have that opportunity to compete on the international stage.”
Players who competed in the 2026 NBL1 South and Victorian Basketball League Championship competitions were invited to submit an expression of interest, with 11 athletes selected for the tour.
The team is led by NBL1 South Coach of the Year Matt Bongetti, alongside assistant coaches Megan Jarvis and Ted West, with experienced senior league team manager Jodi Vine supporting the group.
Meet the Victoria Select team
- Grace Champion — Mount Gambier, NBL1 South
- Chloe Hildebrand — Sunbury, Victorian Basketball League
- Lauren Jones — Diamond Valley, NBL1 South
- Liana Kinkela — Waverley, NBL1 South
- Emily Maltezos — Eltham, NBL1 South
- Elly Morgan — Dandenong, NBL1 South
- Kailey Neave — Pakenham, Victorian Basketball League
- Amy O’Hara — Waverley, NBL1 South
- Sarah O’Neill — Northern Force, NBL1 South
- Erin Riley — Diamond Valley, NBL1 South
- Jessica Smith — Bendigo, NBL1 South
Coaching and support staff
- Head Coach: Matt Bongetti — Eltham, NBL1 South
- Assistant Coach: Ted West — Basketball Victoria
- Assistant Coach: Megan Jarvis — Keilor
- Team Manager: Jodi Vine — Eltham
- Tour Leader: Leanne Yeoman — Basketball Victoria
- Physiotherapist: Josh Hook — Centaur Institute
Watch tonight
Get behind Victoria Select as they take the court for their final game in Korea.
Thursday 8 October | 9pm AEDT
Watch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WKBL_official
-ENDS-
