Celts launch awards for mini-basketball
PWLLHELI know they are in for a difficult test when they visit Caernarfon for a North Wales Senior Cup quarter-final this Saturday (12pm kick-off).
The Llŷn side tuned up for the tie with a convincing 46-3 league success at Ruthin last weekend.
The result keeps Pwll three points behind Division One North leaders Nant Conwy with a game in hand.
The young and talented Ruthin side started much the better and took the lead with a Nathan Jones penalty.
Though Ruthin dominated the first quarter they crucially were unable to add to their early score.
On 18 minutes Pwllheli were rocked when they lost centre Ianto Parri through injury, but they weathered the storm orchestrated by Ruthin’s RGC player Tom Seddon at fly-half.
Pwllheli gradually turned the screw up front and began edging the set and loose play.
They wrested territorial dominance away from the hosts and started creating their own opportunities.
Pwll used the driving maul effectively and were able to suck in Ruthin’s cover.
On 30 minutes the tactic paid dividends. Pwllheli’s pack drove the ball from a line-out and made fully 20 metres.
This gave skipper and scrumhalf Nick Butterworth the chance to squeeze over for a try, Osian Parry Jones converting.
Three minutes later Ruthin had a player yellow-carded for foul play and Parry Jones duly obliged with a well-struck penalty.
Pwllheli steamrolled again towards the 14-man Ruthin line, and eventually replacement centre Gareth Lloyd Williams crashed over. Parry Jones added the two points to make it 17-3 at half time.
Ruthin started the second period with intent but after only three minutes Pwllheli’s fly-half John Pugh latched on to a dropped pass.
He fly-kicked ahead and beat the cover for pace to score under the posts, Parry Jones boosting with the boot.
Pwllheli had a centre yellowcarded but it was they who responded the better.
With Ruthin kicking the ball long out of defence, it was fielded by full-back Danial Williams.
He made ground on the right before passing to the supporting Parry Jones, who used his power and pace to beat four would-be tacklers before scoring wide out to seal the bonus point, his extras making it 31-3. He then added a penalty.
The visitors made a raft of substitutions and the fresh legs gave them added impetus.
Pugh scored his second try as he was put in the clear, Parry Jones splitting the posts.
Ruthin tried to rally, but Pwllheli’s structured defence stood firm and the visitors had the last say when Butterworth added his side’s sixth try.
This was to be the last score of the match as Jones was unable to add the conversion.
CLWB Pêl-fasged Celts Caernarfon are proud to be one of the first clubs in Wales to launch a brand new mini-basketball awards scheme that encourages boys and girls up to the age of 11 to take up this exciting, fast-paced and growing sport.
Celts Juniors head coach Aled Jones said the scheme is proving to be a great success.
“One of the most popular and fastgrowing youth sports in Wales, basketball provides the perfect setting for children to develop individual ability and team work,” added Jones.
“At the Celts, budding basketball players learn to enjoy physical activity in a fun environment, and how impor- tant it is to treat others with respect.”
The new free scheme tipped off on the weekend of March 4 and 5 in Caernarfon and Swansea.
Funded by the FIBA Europe Youth Development Fund, it will enable mini-ballers (under 12-year-olds) to learn the basic skills and earn the bronze award by attending a mini basketball festival.
The basketball badge is an award for an athletic achievement which is intended to motivate young people to try the game.
The Celts attracted 46 participants to their first of four events, which was a great success as all mini-ballers improved their skills enough during the day to be awarded their first bronze badge and certificates.
On completion of the bronze stage the next challenge for players is to attend regular coaching sessions at local affiliated basketball clubs in order to gain their silver, and finally gold badges.
During the award ceremony at the end of the festival the mini-ballers were encouraged to look out for further mini-basketball coaching festivals in order to help them progress through to the silver stage of the scheme when they join a club.
These festivals will help players develop their new-found skills as well as teach them new ones.
Jones said: “Basketball has taken off in a big way in Caernarfon this year with two senior sides (Celts and Kings) and three junior sides playing in the North Wales League.
“The Celts are proud to be the first club to host a ground-breaking Fiba initiative which will surely see basketball soar in popularity in Wales and Caernarfon over the coming seasons.”
To coincide with the launch of the new scheme, a dedicated mini-basketball website for Wales will be up and running soon.
It will contain information about the award scheme, how to run a minibasketball festival and a list of all affiliated clubs in Wales that hold weekly mini basketball coaching sessions.