Knights on the up after fine season

THE Newcastle Knights hve qualified for the top tier of the National Basketball League.

Newcastle University’s men’s basketball side will be playing in NBL Division One in 2017-18 after finishing second in Division Two with a 19-3 record.

The Knights are emerging as a legitimate powerhouse since they stormed into the NBL and gained successive promotions from Division Four - all the way through to the top division.

Ian Hewitt, Director of Basketball and men’s head coach, said: “I am delighted with the steps we hve made this year, both as a team and as a club.

“We keep setting the bar higher each year and the lads did it again this year.”

The Knights carried the momentum from the successful NBL campaign into the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) League.

Wins over Brunel University in the Final 16s and beating the No 1 south seed University of East London meant the Knights clinched a berth to the BUCS Super 8 quarter-finals.

Despite losing to Durham University in the semi-finals, the Knights (pictured below) sealed their first top-four finish in the BUCS Premiership North.

Coach Hewitt added: “Considering what a short rotation we have and the fact we had to bring in two lads from the seconds we really overachieved and played some great team basketball.

“Everyone in our starting five stepped up throughout the weekend which was great to see and they have set the bar high for next year!”

The NBL promotion and the top-four BUCS finish cap off a stellar campaign which saw the Knights claim the Patrons’ Cup after beating Kent Crusaders in the final - their third National Cup in three years.

Richard Austin was named the finals’ Most Valubale Player.

The Knights will continue their BUCS League participation alongside playing in Division One.