Perth Wildcats head coach Trevor Gleeson and four-time Olympian Andrew Vlahov will lead junior sides this weekend part of a record-setting junior basketball State championships.

477 teams are participating in BWA’s four-week hoops festival, a 15 per cent increase on last year’s record for the same event, culminating in the top divisions of each age group fighting for the ‘State Title’ this weekend.

WATCH THE STATE TITLES LIVE AND ON DEMAND HERE

Gleeson’s coaching career started at the junior level in Warrnambool, Victoria in the late 80s but a delayed start to the Wildcat’s season allowed the five-time NBL championship winner’s return to his roots, guiding his son and Joondalup’s under 13 boys this weekend.

“He listens to me more on the court than off it,” Gleeson joked about coaching his son.

“I coach basketball because I love the sport and to see the kids run around with smiles on their faces and be desperate on the court, these are the skills that translate to life.”

The four-week end-of-year tournament finishes on Sunday with 27 teams from across WA participating, including Albany, Esperance, Geraldton and for the first time Binar basketball club.

Vlahov is also on the board for Binar, who had 13 teams paricipating managing two title and two runners-up, but this weekend the Wildcats legend will coach his daughter Ruby’s under 19 Perry Lakes Hawks side.

Wildcats assistant Jacob Chance and Perth Lynx assistant Keegan Crawford will also lead junior sides, the sport the victim of it’s own success in WA court availability rather than participation.

“Basketball has always been strong in WA but we have court issues training our juniors, so it’s a good problem to have but hopefully the infrastructure can catch up,” Gleeson continued.

“The lifeblood of the sport, the next Mike Ellis, Greg Hire and Luke Travers, all these guys coming through this is where they start.”

Every match that is played on court one at Bendat Basketball Stadium at weekend’s State Titles will be streamed LIVE and ON DEMAND HERE.