David and Goliath story of basketball success for Tweed’s Pacific Coast school
PACIFIC Coast Christian School’s open boys basketball side have created history by winning the 2016 Open Boys North Coast Zone Basketball Championships earlier this month.
Despite having only 200 senior students, the school’s open boys’ side took down bigger sides to go through the tournament undefeated, becoming the first side in the zone’s history to beat powerhouse Coffs Harbour Christian Community School.
Led by Mal Muir - who oversaw a highly successful basketball program at Gold Coast’s Hillcrest College - the boys’ showed plenty of discipline and drive against Coffs. “No one’s ever beaten them, but I filled the boys with confidence, telling them to believe in what they’re doing,” Muir said.
Part of that belief came from the expert coaching received from basketball coach Steve Weiland and current New Zealand open men’s coach Pero Cameron.
“We committed to doing three sessions a week of the best possible work with Pero and Steve,” Muir said.
“With those guys in their corner, they can achieve anything.”
The school further excelled, with its Open Girls and Under-15 Boys’ sides who both went down to Coffs in their respective finals.
The side will now travel to the CSSA NSW State Basketball Championships in Penrith in September.
