“We are going to the other side of the world, and meeting new people - this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Gomez also encourages her peers to take the same, or similar, opportunities for themselves. “I think this is a great honor to represent Colorado and our community,” said Ignacio High School graduate Avionne Gomez. The Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth largest city, situated on the easternmost coastline of Queensland. Basketball is just one of the many sports that will be hosted at this year’s international competition. The two-day tournament will have an Olympic style format with competition for gold, silver, and bronze medals. Each athlete learns a different style of play due to international rules (FIBA), which allows athletes to compete in a more up-temp game,” said Justin Klein, National Basketball Coach with Down Under Sports. “This is a once in a lifetime experience for everyone who participates. The game play will take place at Australia’s new Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre. The two girls will spend ten days in the Land Down Under as part of a cultural exchange and basketball tournament, dubbed the 2018 Down Under Sports Hoops Classic. Southern Ute tribal members, Avionne and Ebonee Gomez caught their flight early Monday morning, circling the globe for the first time, their destination: Australia.