Young Mustangs Shannon Burton and Kaia Issac are the toast of the Maitland Federation Centre after being selected in the NSW Country Under-18 men's and women's teams to compete at the national championships in Townsville in April.
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At just 15 the duo's achievements are all the more significant as they are bottom-age members of the squad.
The talented pair earned their spots after stand out performance at the Country Cup in Albury in January.
Isaac was a member of the NSW Country Kookaburras under-18s men's team which won the title in Albury and Burton was part of the Under-18 Waratahs women's team which finished third.
"It was great fun, hard work and a big challenge," Burton said of the Albury tournament.
"We played against country teams from all the states and from New Zealand. It was tough competition.
"It's exciting to be selected to play in the state team to play in Townsville."
Hard work and commitment are nothing new to Burton and Isaac, who are part of the State Performance Program, state and regional representative teams and have playing commitments with the Mustangs.
Burton and her family take into another level, however, with the teenager and her mum travelling at least once a week for training from their home in Port Macquarie and then for games.
With SPP commitments on top of playing for the Mustangs, it's a routine that continues for all but four or five weeks of the year.
"I have one day off at home a week when I can study and sometimes in the car I do a bit of study," Burton said of balancing school and sport commitments.
"I knuckle down at school, I guess.
"It's a lot of hard work, but it's something I love."
Isaac started playing with the Mustangs in under-12s and Burton moved into the Maitland program three years ago.
This year they will both play in the Maitland under-18s and be called into the Youth Men and Women's team as relief players.
The reality that they are on the same youth development path of Australian basketball stars such as Matthew Dellavedova, Patty Mills, Ben Simmons and Lauren Jackson is a little daunting at times, but the result of a lot of hard work.