Five teenagers accused of murdering two young boys as they walked home from a basketball match have pleaded not guilty.

Chol Achiek, 12, and Dau Akueng, 15, were allegedly attacked just streets apart at Cobblebank, in Melbourne’s outer northwest on September 6.

The two boys were on their way home from basketball when a group of males set upon them and stabbed them to death.

One of the accused appeared in person at a children’s court on Thursday, accompanied by two police officers, while the other four appeared via video link.

One by one, all five boys, aged 15 and 16, formally entered not guilty pleas to the two murder charges.

They were each committed to stand trial in the Victorian Supreme Court.

It comes after co-accused Peter Addo, 19, Abel Sorzor, 19, and Prince Conteh, 20, on Friday also formally entered not guilty pleas in Melbourne Magistrates Court.

All eight accused will face a directions hearing in the Supreme Court later this month.