Young Knights land GB basketball title
AYOUNG wheelchair basketball team – which included four Anglesey players – has been crowned British champions after defeating the best talent in the UK at the national finals.
The North Wales Knights U15 squad arrived in Worcester after a remarkable league campaign.
They had secured the Northern Division League title after winning each of their 12 games this season.
The first game of the day at the nationals on Worcester saw the Knights play Sussex-based Tornado Kings, who were in fine form right from the tip.
It was the Kings who raced into a 13-point lead as the Knights’ nerves, and some excellent play from their counterparts, gave them a huge task.
Trailing 17-8 at half time the Knights were looking at an early end to their hopes of winning the tournament.
However, this incredibly strong group of players put in a stunning second-half performance, clawing back the Kings and winning one of the games of the day by 29-23.
The semi-finals saw a strong Coventry Wheelchair Basketball Academy lay in wait, a team that had only lost once all season topping their Central Division.
Knights were up for the challenge and put in one of their most accomplished performances of the season.
Taking the lead early on and controlling the game as it progressed, the North Walians ensured they would reach the final in their debut season. The final was played in front of a capacity crowd and pitched the Knights against the Northern Division runners-up and regular opponents, Tees Valley Titans.
In a tense affair the Knights held on in a very hard-fought first half before demonstrating their physical and mental strength under pressure, pulling away in the last few minutes to take the national title 24-16.
The Knights line up included: Callum Truchon, 14, from Amlwch, who attends Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, plus Valley-based trio Kieran Jones, 15, a pupil at Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern, Ryan Jones, 11, of Ysgol Gymuned Y Fali, and 15-year-old Keelan Ridings from Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi.
All are members of Anglesey Hawks.
Head coach Mike Hayes said: “We as a coaching team have challenged this group to go out and show the UK what we know they can do.
“Every time they’ve been up against it in a game they’ve come through with incredible belief; they never stop believing in each other.”
Hawks secretary Charlie MacPherson said: “We are so proud that half of the British champions come from Anglesey and the other half from North Wales. Coached in North Wales clubs, they are the first truly homegrown U15s wheelchair basketball team.”
Anglesey Hawks train at Holyhead Leisure Centre every Tuesday from 6.30-8.30pm and welcome everyone, with or without a disability, to join in the sport.