A strong contingent of talented juniors from the Goulburn Valley and surrounding areas will embark on the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup on Saturday.
There will be almost 20 district teenagers gracing the indoor courts of Albury's Lauren Jackson Sports Centre, as they fight it out for national bragging rights against some of the best rising stars in the sport.
About 900 players, coaches and officials will converge on Albury for the 33rd annual tournament as 19 juniors from across the region are set to represent all three age groups in Victoria's country sides.
A quartet of Shepparton Basketball Association stars feature in the under-16 girls’ squad, with Hannah Onley, Isabel Whitelaw, Tahli Smith and Shelby Hutchins all landing a spot on the roster.
And Seymour Basketball Association's Olivia Pearce has also found a place in the under-16 line-up.
In the girls’ under-18 outfit, Seymour duo Dyani Ananiev and Tayha Watkins feature in the line-up, while Shepparton's Montanna Burke and Sarah Vincitorio will partner up with Echuca's Madison Leary, Benalla's Milly Evans and Seymour's Sienna Sapiano in the under-14 girls’ squad.
Shepparton guns Jordan Michel and Tom Gorman, along with Seymour's Harrison Stones will don a jersey in the under-18 boys’ side, while Shepparton duo Boston Dowling and Jordan Munro have been named in the under-16 boys’ squad.
And at under-14 level, Shepparton's Spencer Dickins and Seymour's Jesse Brock round out the remaining local representatives.
Event organisers have given the tournament the go-ahead.
Despite the mercury set to rise and smoke haze lingering from the devastating bushfires in Victoria and NSW, the cup directors have consulted with local authorities about the recent wildfires and have come to a decision not to cancel the event.
The Albury and Wodonga City councils have advised the stadiums will not be used as evacuation centres if any situation arises.
Tournament officials have also said they would continue to monitor the ongoing air quality and bushfire activity before and during the week-long event.
● Elsewhere, there will be four Shepparton juniors taking part in next weekend's prestigious Southern Cross Challenge in Melbourne.
The national under-14 and under-15 tournament will be hosted at the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South from January 17-20.
In the under-14 squad, Shepparton's Riley Onley and Aiden Whitelaw are set to hit the floor for Vic Country, while brothers Jack and Matt Whitlock have been selected in the Vic Country under-15 side.