LAST weekend, Wonthaggi basketballer Jett Garnham won the Under-20 Men’s National Championship as a member of the Victorian state team.
The victory came after a decisive grand final clash against Queensland, with Victoria emerging on top 95-77.
“In the final game, the atmosphere was pretty surreal. As an athlete, you always dream of playing in these games, so I was just trying to soak it all in,” Jett said.
The championship game capped off a flawless tournament run, with the team going undefeated and winning all seven of their games, including the finals.
“When we won, it was pretty surreal. All the hard work from everyone in the team had paid off. All those sacrifices we made were worth it, so it was a pretty special moment,” he said.
Simply making the state team is a challenge, with Jett attending three separate tryouts, each followed by player cuts. More than 100 players from across Victoria started the process, but only a handful received the call from head coach Darren Best confirming their selection. Jett was one of them.
“To represent my state is an honour, to say the least. My role within the team was as a facilitator, lockdown defender, and floor general. I came off the bench to guard the opposition’s best offensive guard and try to shut him down while also controlling the pace of the game to keep it in our favour,” he said.
Jett credited the team’s camaraderie and lack of egos as key factors in their national success.
But this achievement was no overnight success. It was nearly a decade in the making, beginning with Wonthaggi’s under-10s program before he moved to a more competitive level, playing for the Melbourne Tigers in under-12s and later representing the Dandenong Rangers from under-14s to under-18s in the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL).
“I started taking basketball seriously around 11 years old, after my first National Junior Classic tournament with the Melbourne Tigers. I had a strong tournament, leading the scoring, and that’s when I realised I was pretty handy at it and that I really enjoyed it,” he said.
From that moment, Jett set a clear goal—to become the best basketballer he could be.
He expressed gratitude for the support he has received from his family and coaches throughout his journey.
“I’ve had countless people help me along the way, and while there are too many to name, some of the key figures are my mum, Cathy, my dad Nick, brother Jenson and sister Eva.
They’ve always kept me level-headed, reminding me that the opportunities I have are a blessing and that I can’t take them for granted,” Jett said.
On the coaching front, he credited Mike McHugh as the biggest influence on his career.
“Mike has been training me since I was around 10 years old, sometimes multiple times a week. His knowledge of the game has helped shape me into the player I am today,” he said.
Jett has no plans to slow down, continuing to pursue higher levels of competition. He will suit up for Keilor Thunder in the Youth League and possibly the NBL1.
“I’m hoping to just continue being the best version of myself, and wherever that takes me, I’ll be happy with that.”
Jett also gives back to the local basketball community. He is currently an assistant coach for the Wonthaggi Coasters under-16 boys alongside coach Lincoln Morris and trains several young players individually.
“I always try to give back to a community that has given so much to me.”
When asked if he had any advice for young local basketballers, Jett offered these words of encouragement:
“If you truly want to do something, you can do it—you just have to put your mind to it. But if you want to be great at something, you will have to make sacrifices along the way. Keep a good circle of people around you, people who have your best interests at heart—ones who will be honest with you and tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it.”
Outside of basketball, Jett enjoys spending quality time with family and heading to the beach to relax and clear his mind.
