"The Country Tour"

Born and raised in the river town of Albury, Paul Gooding is a colossus of basketball in NSW. Paul's genuine passion for basketball, along with his razor-sharp intelligence and acumen has been a blessing for basketball in Albury and across NSW. A recipient of the Medal of Service to Australian sport by Queen
Elizabeth I, Paul Gooding is a Sainted figure in the great story of basketball in
Australia.

Todd ‘Toddy’ Turner is arguably NSW Country’s most capped National Championship Representative. Since his early days as a player and referee, Toddy’s journey of relentless consistency and dedication to basketball and his beloved Newcastle, has taken him to nineteen Australian Championships and a similar number of Country Cups with plenty of gold medals along the way. Toddy is basketball royalty in Newcastle and in Country NSW, his knowledge, understanding and ability to work hard for his teams, his club and his family make him a deeply respected and much loved figure.

Eddie Teague is the best and most influential American Import to ever come to NSW Country basketball. Since arriving in Australia in 1983 when Bob Hawke became PM, the Californian native has become as much of a Legend in Goulburn and across bush basketball in NSW as Bob was to the nation. A brilliant player, tactical genius, leader, coach, teacher, stoic, husband and father - the story of Eddie Teague is a beautiful ode to how basketball in the country is ultimately about community, loyalty, family and love.

If Leeanne Palmer were a basketball player, you could bet that her team would be poised, prepared,  and that they would be great mates and have a lot of fun! A Life Member of Newcastle Basketball, BNSW and with a decades long history of service to the game, Leeanne Palmer is a Legend. Over hill and down dale she has travelled, along the ribbons of country oad that  our stadiums, Leeanne has carted her goods and chattels to service the camps and competitions of Country Basketball. An exemplar of good manners, professionalism, modesty and good humour Leeann Palmer is Country Basketball’s MVP.

From the moment of his childhood introduction to basketball in a rustic, atmospheric, timber stadium in Adelaide, it is fair to say that Graham Baker fell in love with basketball… That love for the game has taken him around Australia and the world and led him to place called Stockton, on the other side of the river in the entrepôt of Newcastle. 

Graham Baker understands basketball like few others and is a potent advocate for the game and for people who love it like him. A natural leader and born story-teller, Graham’s perspective on life and sport are rare and lovely Opals…

These wonderful young women first shared the court and a ball when they were twelve and thirteen years of age - from that moment inside the famous Broadmeadow stadium in Newcastle, Sophie Kleeman and Susi Walmsley became lifelong friends. The arc of their respective stories is uncannily similar: State champions, County Tours, Australian Champions, US College scholarships and much more, with much more to come. Both brilliant high-intensity scoring guards, Sophie and Susi played with complete concentration and broke the hearts of countless opposing teams and coaches throughout their careers. 

Modest, smart, tough and wise beyond their years, Sophie and Susi are two of Country Basketball’s very finest.

John Martin is synonymous with NSW Country Basketball. There are few people who have been involved with the sport of basketball who have not heard of, or been in some way influenced by John Martin, be it through the Country Tournament, referring, competitions and administration to our beloved Country Tour and Cup - John has been at the heart of it all…

As tireless as the sea and as rich in story and memory, John ‘Marto’ Martin is quite simply an Australian treasure.

One of the elder statesmen of basketball in NSW Country, John Davidson has left a profound legacy on basketball in the bush. Originally from Dubbo, John’s love and leadership of basketball across NSW and particularly in the country regions of the state has seen him impact the lives of thousands and thousands of athletes, coaches and administrators. From the development of ‘conferences’, the NSW State League and the NSW Country Jamboree which now bears his name, John’s commitment and desire to make things better for all those playing basketball in the bush has made him a true legend of the sport.

Dr Adrian Hurley is a living legend of Australian basketball. Born and raised on the South Coast of country NSW, Adrian Hurley is perhaps the most important Coach in the story of basketball in Australia. An Illawarra, NSW, NBL and Australian Olympic Coach, Doc Hurley has done it all - he is the founder of the World renowned Australian Institute of Sport Basketball Program and one of the true innovators in the sport of Basketball. Please enjoy our conversation with the inimitable Dr Adrian Hurley.

As co-captains of one of the most talented groups to ever represent NSW Country Patty and Myles have set a benchmark of excellence, both on and off the court, in establishing what it means to represent the bush. Hailing from the powerhouse associations of Illawarra and Newcastle respectively, Patty and Myles have become an embodiment of the values which we hold up as being synonymous with the way we want to play the game and, despite their relatively young ages, both of these men have been able to carve out an indelible mark on maintaining the culture and traditions of how to play the “Country way”.