It鈥檚 the best of times for 17-year-old 91原创 athlete Tanner Jung.

The day Jung received word that he鈥檇 made the Canadian U23 men鈥檚 wheelchair basketball team, he received even more good news.

Not only had he been selected to play for Team BC at the Junior Regionals 鈥� which were held last month in Red Deer, Alta. 鈥� but Jung found out he had been voted Junior Athlete of the Year for 2016 by his fellow wheelchair athletes.

Jung is, officially, a national team member after a strong showing at Wheelchair Basketball Canada鈥檚 selection camp, held March 20 to 24 at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in Scarborough, Ont.,

In Scarborough, the athletes vied for the opportunity to represent Team Canada on home soil at the 2017 men鈥檚 U23 world Wheelchair basketball championships, happening June 8 to 16 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great honour that I made the team,鈥� said Jung, a student at Walnut Grove Secondary.

鈥淚 tried to go there with no expectations, and just enjoy the time there, because I didn鈥檛 know my chances.

鈥淚 tried my hardest, left it all on the court, and ended up making it.鈥�

Jung is the youngest player on the team and one of two B.C. players named to the roster.

Joining him is Chilliwack鈥檚 Ben Hagkull.

The selection camp roster featured five players who have previously represented the maple leaf on the international wheelchair basketball stage including Rio 2016 Paralympians Liam Hickey (St. John鈥檚, N.L.) and Ben Moronchuk (Edmonton).

Multiple surgeries

Jung was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), basically a short femur and no hip socket on one side.

He underwent major surgery, called Van Nes Rotation Plasty, when he was four.

鈥淲e placed a rod in his leg and turned it 180 degrees 鈥� yes, that puts the foot backwards and his ankle is now his new knee鈥� through much therapy and many adjustments, he now wears a prosthetic,鈥� his mom Nadene explained.

鈥淎 year later we did the work on his hip socket.

鈥淗e has had multiple surgeries as he has grown but has (so) mastered wearing a prosthetic since the younger days, that I tend to forget he has only one leg.鈥�

Jung was recently diagnosed with scoliosis, 鈥渨hich is just another little hurdle he will master,鈥� Nadene said.

When Jung found wheelchair basketball at age 13, he found his niche.

鈥淎fter I started wheelchair basketball, I鈥檝e never regretted playing,鈥� Jung said.

鈥淚鈥檝e always loved it.鈥�

鈥淚t was one more step Tanner has taken in his life that has opened up to something big.

鈥淚 have been fortunate enough to see him handle that basketball in the wheelchair for the first time and never knew he would be at the level he is now at 17,鈥� Nadene said.

鈥淭o be playing for the U23 worlds is something I couldn鈥檛 even fathom four years ago.鈥�

Initially, Nadene signed her son up for a recreation team sport to help him keep active.

鈥淭o watch Tanner grow and develop both mentally and physically has been very inspirational,鈥� Nadene said.

Bound for Germany

Jung is going places with the national team, namely Germany for an eight-day trip to train and play exhibition games in preparation for the worlds.

鈥淲e鈥檙e training for a few days and playing against the junior Germany team and then a men鈥檚 team from Europe,鈥� Jung said.

The Canadian squad is currently in Germany to compete against teams from Germany and Australia.

This is Jung鈥檚 first taste of international competition.