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Melva Claire Saunders (née Hancock, 9 May 1931 – 29 May 2021) was an Australian women's basketball player.

Biography

Hancock played for the Australia women's national basketball team at the 1957 FIBA World Championship for Women, hosted by Brazil. Hancock commenced playing basketball as a junior in 1949 and represented New South Wales (NSW) at the Australian Championships in 1955, 1956, 1960 and 1962. She was a key member of the Newcastle team that won eight straight NSW Country and NSW State championships.

For her participation as a player, manager and administrator of the game from 1949 to 1978, Hancock was inducted into the Basketball NSW Hall of Fame in 2013. Her married name is Melva Hancock.

References

1. Symington, Elizabeth (31 May 2021). "Pioneering Melva fondly remembered". Newcastle Weekly. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
2. Brasil, Cartões de Imigração familysearch.org
3. FIBA Archive. 1957 World Championship for Women. Australia. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
4. Basketball NSW. Melva Hancock (nee Saunders). Retrieved 2017-11-15.
5. ^ Keeble, Brett (July 4, 2013). Basketball stalwarts honoured. Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 2017-11-15.

• 1931 births
• 2021 deaths
• Australian women's basketball players
• Sportspeople from Newcastle, New South Wales
• Basketball players from New South Wales
• Sportswomen from New South Wales
• 20th-century Australian sportswomen