Binar Maali Basketball Club

🏀 MAJOR COACHING APPOINTMENT – BLAKE SRDAREV JOINS BINAR MAALI

We are extremely excited to announce the appointment of Blake Srdarev as our Men’s D League Head Coach and Head of High Performance Basketball at Binar Maali.

Blake brings an enormous amount of experience, knowledge and basketball IQ into our program, with more than 20 seasons of coaching experience across junior representative basketball, WABL, SBL, NBL1 and State programs.

His extensive coaching journey has included:

🏀 NBL1 Women’s Head Coach – East Perth Eagles
🏀 NBL1 Women’s Head Coach – Lakeside Lightning
🏀 2021 NBL1 West Women’s Coach of the Year
🏀 WA State Team Head Coach
🏀 Head Coach at the Australian Junior Championships
🏀 Multiple WABL Championships
🏀 Willetton Tigers WABL Coach of the Year
🏀 Extensive junior and high-performance player development experience
🏀 More recently coaching within the Hills Raiders program

Blake has spent significant time within some of WA basketball’s established programs, including Willetton Tigers, Mandurah Magic, East Perth Eagles, Lakeside Lightning and Hills Raiders.

This appointment is about much more than coaching one team.

As our Head of High Performance Basketball, Blake will work across the Binar Maali program to continue strengthening our coaching structures, player development and pathways from junior basketball and WABL through to our emerging senior programs.

He will also lead our Men’s D League program as Binar Maali takes another major step forward in our basketball journey.

Our vision has always been to create genuine pathways and opportunities for our young people and surround them with quality people who can help them reach levels they may never have thought possible.

You can't be what you can't see.

To have someone with Blake's experience and knowledge choose to become part of what we are building at Binar is something we are incredibly excited about.

Blake on joining Binar Maali:

"I'm incredibly excited to join the Binar Maali community, the warm welcome I've received has been outstanding and knowing the impact the organisation has in the community is inspiring.

My decision to make the move over to Binar was made simple knowing the quality of the people, the long term vision and the professionalism of management and staff to make it happen.

I'm looking forward to contributing to that journey by helping develop our people to deliver sustainable success which translates on and off the court.

I am acutely aware of the work that has been done in the past to put Binar in the position it is today, it is an honour to be able to accept the role of Coach of the Championship Men's team and as the Director of High Performance."

Please join us in welcoming Blake Srdarev to the Binar family. 💙🖤

🏆 COACH OF THE YEAR | FEMALE PROGRAM 🏆

Congratulations to Sam Curtis, our 2026 Coach of the Year for the Female Program! 🩵🖤

Sam coached our U14 Girls team through an incredible inaugural WABL season, finishing the regular season top of the ladder with just one loss. The girls went on to reach the Grand Final, capping off a remarkable first season together.

For Sam, coaching is about much more than results. It’s about giving back to the game, helping young players grow, building friendships and creating an environment where they can discover what they’re capable of.

Alongside assistant coach Mahalia Curtis, Sam built a team culture centred around fundamentals, curiosity and trust, with the values of being hungry, selfless and respectful.

This award recognises the leadership, commitment and care Sam has shown throughout the season, and the impact he has had on his players both on and off the court.

Congratulations Sam, and thank you for everything you have given to our U14 Girls and the Binar community this season. 🩵🖤

🏆 COACH OF THE YEAR | MALE PROGRAM 🏆

Congratulations to Troy Kelly, our 2026 Coach of the Year for the Male Program! 🩵🖤

Troy’s Binar journey started as a player and volunteer, and has grown into one of leadership, mentoring and giving back to the next generation.

In our inaugural WABL season, Troy guided our U14 Boys 1 team to the Grand Final of the Division 1 Championship competition, and the team will also represent Binar at the U14 National Championships. Two incredible achievements in our very first season of WABL. 🏀

But Troy’s impact goes well beyond the scoreboard. Alongside coaching, he continues to work with young people through Binar’s school programs, helping them build confidence, dream big and understand that they belong.

His commitment to his players, his leadership and the environment he creates for young people are exactly what this award represents.

Congratulations Troy, and thank you for everything you continue to give to Binar and our community. This one is very well deserved. 🩵🖤

Congrats to our 2026 Binar Maali Male Award Winners 🩵🖤

MVP & Coaches Awards

Congrats to our 2026 Binar Maali Female Award Winners 🩵🖤

MVP & Coaches Awards

🏀 WABL 2026 | Season Wind Up 🩵🖤

What a way to wrap up our inaugural WABL season! 🙌🏽

Our wind-up was a chance to celebrate some of the people who made this first season so special, recognising our award winners across our teams, coaches, referees, volunteers and our wider Binar community.

From MVPs and Coaches Awards to Coach of the Year, Referee of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and the Tommy Charles Legacy Award, there was plenty to celebrate. 🏆

But more than the awards, it was about bringing everyone together and celebrating all the people who make Binar what it is. Our players, coaches, families, volunteers, officials and supporters have all played a part in making our first WABL season one to remember.

And of course, no wind-up is complete without a few pizzas and plenty of time together! 🍕🏀

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey. Here’s to the first chapter of Binar WABL. 🩵🖤

Meet the Coach: Jerome Mogridge 🏀 U18 BOYS 2

Jerome's coaching journey started for a simple reason: he saw kids wanting to play sport and not enough coaches to make it happen. He put his hand up, and hasn't looked back since.

From coaching in the Bunbury basketball community to joining Binar Maali for our inaugural WABL season, Jerome has loved watching players grow in confidence, resilience and self-belief. For him, coaching is about creating an environment where players feel supported, connected and part of something bigger than basketball.

One of his biggest coaching lessons? Focus on what you can control, keep learning and aim to be 1% better every day.

Swipe through to get to know Jerome and the person behind the whistle. 🩵🖤

Thank you, Jerome, for giving your time, knowledge and energy to our players and our Binar community.

🩵🖤

🏀🔥 BINAR 3x3 COMP IS COMING TO COLLIE!🔥🏀

Get your team together because we’re taking 3x3 basketball to Collie this November!

📅 Saturday 7 November 2026
📍 Roche Park Recreation Centre (RPRC), Collie
⏰ Competition starts 1PM – 9PM
More specific game times to come.

🏆 AGE GROUPS
🏀 U12 | Born 2015–2016
🏀 U14 | Born 2013–2014
🏀 U16 | Born 2011–2012
🏀 U18 | Born 2009–2010

Girls and boys divisions available across all age groups!

💥 TEAM NOMINATIONS ONLY
Get your crew together and secure your spot!

❤️‍🔥 Health Embassy will be on site providing health checks and support throughout the event.

Proudly supported by Swan City Snipers 🏀

📲 REGISTER YOUR TEAM NOW:
https://www.playhq.com/basketball-wa/register/8562e1

Bring your team. Bring the energy. Bring your game. 🔥

See you in Collie! 🏀

🩵🖤 THANK YOU, MATT

After an incredible chapter with Binar, our Director of High Performance, Matt Parsons, will be stepping down from his role with Binar to take on an exciting new opportunity as Head Coach of the Cockburn Cougars NBL1 Men’s team.

Matt has played an important role in the growth of our High Performance space, supporting Binar through some of our biggest stages of development and helping lay the foundations for where our program is heading.

His knowledge, experience, leadership and genuine investment in our athletes and coaches have made a lasting impact on Binar. From helping shape our high-performance environment to supporting our teams as we took some big steps forward, Matt has been an important part of our journey.

We are incredibly grateful for the time, energy and belief he has invested in Binar and our people.

As Matt begins this next chapter, he shared a few words about his time with Binar:

“A bittersweet moment as I return to NBL1.

I’m proud of everything we achieved during my time as Head of High Performance at Binar, especially bringing basketball back to the City of Swan and creating opportunities for the next generation of hoopers.

The impact we’ve made, the relationships built, and the lessons learned will stay with me forever.

While my role is ending, I’ll always be a proud supporter of the Binar community and vision.”

Matt, thank you for everything you’ve contributed to Binar and for being such an important part of our journey.

We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built together and excited to watch you take on this next challenge.

Congratulations and all the very best with the Cockburn Cougars NBL1 Men. We’ll be cheering you on! 🏀

Once Binar, always Binar. 🩵🖤

A fairytale season that fell just short of the ultimate prize — but achieved so much along the way. 🩵🖤

11 boys. Only 3 with previous WABL experience. Entering our very first WABL season as Binar Maali.

It really was an against-all-odds season.

Firstly, the boys qualified for U14 Division 1, which in itself was a remarkable achievement. They then finished Top 3 at Grading and then booking themselves a place at the U14 National Club Championships — another huge milestone for our club.

The WABL regular season was a very successful one, and heading into finals the boys had every reason to be confident.

Their biggest moment came in a tough semi-final against powerhouse Willetton Tigers, where they held their nerve and booked themselves a place in the Division 1 Grand Final.

And what a Grand Final it was.

Our boys played an unbelievable first half and went into the main break 17 points up.

But we knew Warwick were a quality team and would fight their way back — and they did.

What followed was an absolute battle.

In the dying minutes the scores were tied, and when the final siren sounded, unfortunately we found ourselves just on the wrong side of the ledger.

It was a heartbreaking end to a fairytale WABL season, but when the disappointment settles, there is so much these boys should be proud of.

They made history:

🏀 First Binar team to qualify for Division 1 WABL
🏀 First Binar Division 1 team to make WABL Finals
🏀 First Binar team to qualify for the National Club Championships

All in our very first season in WABL.

The boys have been guided by Troy Kelly, who has been a big part of Binar since our early days over a decade ago, and assisted by Zimmarley Williams-Wilson, a trailblazer and role model for so many young Kimberley kids from Derby.

The WABL season may be finished, but their journey isn't.

Our focus now turns to the U14 National Club Championships next week, where these 11 boys get another opportunity to represent Binar Maali on an even bigger stage.

Whatever happens from here, this group has already written themselves into Binar history.

Now go and enjoy Nationals, boys.