NEWCASTLE basketball rising star Saffron Shiels has her first international medal after helping the Austrian Gems win gold at the under-18 championships in India.
The 16-year-old point guard, who is eligible for the under-17s, played off the bench as the Gems beat defending champions China 81-55 in the final.
Isla Juffermans was the star for the Aussies with 26 points and 15 rebounds.
Shiels, who led the Australian Sapphires to fifth place at the under-17 World Championships in Hungary earlier this year, played all five matches in India and averaged four points, four rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
In her first year at the Australian Centre of Excellence in Canberra, Shiels is in line for the Gems squad to compete at 2023 FIBA under-19 Women's World Cup in Spain.
