Gardiner's 23 points spark South Australia to first U20 Women's crown since 2010 as Queensland heartbreak continues

South Australia won their first U20 Women's National Championship in 16 years, suffocating Queensland with relentless defensive pressure in a dominant 78-60 gold medal victory at Selkirk Stadium on February 1. It was the second straight year Queensland fell in the title decider — they lost to NSW in the 2025 final — and despite tournament MVP Prasayas Notoa's extraordinary 21 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in the gold medal game, the Maroons could not overcome South Australia's stifling defensive scheme. The key to the game was the second quarter. SA trailed 10-22 after a slow start, but erupted for 33 points in the second period while holding Queensland to just 16, flipping a 12-point deficit into a five-point halftime lead. The margin built on turnover pressure and paint production — SA forced 28 turnovers across the game, scored 34 points off those mistakes, and finished with 50 points in the paint. Keira Gardiner) led SA's balanced attack with 23 points, while Coco Hodges (175-G-2007) added 17. Aspen Crase (183-F-2008) was ruthlessly efficient with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Queensland were held to just 36 percent from the field despite Notoa's heroics. V. Vahayliah Seumanutafa) added 14 for the Maroons, but the supporting cast could not find clean offense against SA's relentless ball pressure. Notoa was named Women's MVP for her tournament-long dominance — she averaged 15.8 points, a tournament-leading 12.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, joining a prestigious list of past winners that includes Lauren Jackson (1999), Erin Phillips (2004), and Alanna Smith (2015). NSW claimed the bronze medal with a composed 64-60 victory over Victoria, holding the Victorians to just nine fourth-quarter points. Jessie-May Hall carried the offensive load with 23 points and eight rebounds, supported by Freya Bijkerk (14) and Ruby Perkins (13 points, nine rebounds).