In a remarkable feat highlighting determination and dedication beyond their years, the Orange Eagles’ under-12 division one boys basketball side has remained undefeated in division one of Western Junior League basketball for two seasons. The Western Junior League incorporates two geographic regions, the Central West and Northern Riverina of NSW. Finals are held at Griffith, principally because of the brilliant eight-court complex at Griffith Regional Sports Stadium. It was a stage that matched the progress of this Eagles side.

Across 27 matches in 2024 and 2025 in the Western Junior League, the team has won every match it has played.

In 2024, Orange took out the competition, winning 12 regular season matches and two finals.

And in 2025, while winning 11 regular season games and two finals, the Orange Eagles under-12s boys made the long trek to Griffith three times to taste success.

The Orange side – coached by Mitch Brakenridge and Paul Ringland – was a class above opponents like West Wyalong, Leeton, Temora, Griffith, West Wyalong and Lithgow but enjoyed a friendly rivalry with Narrandera this year.

After defeating Narrandera 41-35 and 45-42 during the regular season, the Orange Eagles under-12s boys were able to step it up on finals weekend on May 10-11, beating the Knights 58-37 and 52-30 in the grand final to claim the crown.

“It’s a pretty cool achievement... two years in a row, our first entry-level basketballers have been undefeated,” Brakenridge said.

“It’s a really good sign for where our program is headed. There has been a lot of people that have put in a lot of effort over a long time with Orange Basketball.”

Coach Brakenridge believed the side buying into defence was crucial to the twin years of undefeated success.

“Sometimes, basketball is a flashy game,” he said. “It’s hard to get kids to buy into the defensive side of things, but this group did that really well. They knew the defence was going to get them home.

“To get a group of kids this age... to tie in and stick to a goal for three months and commit to improvement in the face of success is a cool story,” coach Brakenridge said.

“It’s not always something you often see in kids so young. I think it’s a sign of how engaging the competition is.”

Three players (Dylan Brakenridge, Lachie Bailey, Artie Keegan) were part of both the victorious 2024 and 2025 sides.

However, coach Brakenridge said the six newcomers to the side this year were tremendous as well.

“They were able to get a lot of experience as last year’s bottom-aged players,” he said of Dylan, Lachie, and Artie. “They were able to help the next generation of kids come through.

That next generation of kids picked up the lessons of the previous years and jumped straight in. They didn’t worry about last year’s reputation; they just wanted to come in and make it their own.”

And he pointed to one match during the regular season against Narrandera where the Knights led and threatened to end Orange’s unbeaten run as a defining point of the season.

“It was a friendly but fierce rivalry,” coach Brakenridge said of the four Orange-Narrandera matches. "Obviously we had a target on our back from last year... and Narrandera gave us a lot of curry in the first game. In the second game, they were leading, but we went on a nine-nil (9-0) run to just win. That really set us up.”

The 2025 Orange under-12s boys side division one side will play State Cup in August.