Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) is state-wide Representative Basketball which provides the highest level of junior competition in Victoria. The competition includes U12 to U21 age groups, in a graded structure from Victorian Junior Championship League to Regional competition.
Representative Basketball is played on Friday evenings in and around metropolitan Melbourne, plus country Victoria, between 6pm and 11pm. Hawthorn Magic was established to give junior basketball athletes an opportunity to participate at a more competitive level.
VJBL Competition Explained
Victorian Championship (VC) League
This is the highest level in each age group comprising the best 20 teams in Victoria.
Victorian Junior League
Following the grading phase, teams are allocated into division usually comprised of 10 teams based on their results through grading. The number of divisions varies for each age group, usually with the highest level of participation at the U12 age group and progressively less thorugh each subsequent age group. VJBL may split divisions into regionalized pools at this level based on geographic location of each club.
VJBL Season Overview
The representative season is played for nearly twelve months commencing, with the annual Magic Tryouts phase in October leading into the VJBL Schedule.
1. September-October | Magic Tryouts and Selection Phase
2. October-November | Practice matches during tryouts
3. November-March | VJBL Grading Season
4. March-August | VJBL Championship Season
5. August-September | VJBL Finals
The basketball year concludes mid-December and recommences mid/late January in preparation for the Eltham Dandenong Tournament on the Australia Day long weekend.