England Basketball Under 17 Regional Tournaments

At the end of September twelve Oaklands College Basketball Academy students competed in the Under 17 Tournaments in an attempt to be named in the first England Under 18 squads for the year.

The aim is to be one of the final 12 players that are selected for the England male and female squads that will compete at the European Championships in summer 2014.

Last year, the College’s very own Ben Lawson, Lauren Milligan, Francesca Quinn and Anna Forsyth were all successful.

This year the College was represented by Elliott Beardsworth, Reece Turner, Ekundayo Banjoko and Jordan Mighty for the boys’ tournament and Amy Boot, Beth Sarson, Vicky Gray, Shanice Turner, Zoe Littlechild, Melanie George, Millie Stevens and Cathryn Tomnay in the girls’ tournament.

The students will find out at the end of October/beginning of November whether they have been selected for the first England Under 18 long squads. If successful there then follows intense competition to stay in the squad as cuts are made during the season.

Head Coach at Oaklands College, Michael Ball, was coaching the East Under 17 team and commented:  “I was delighted with the whole group and obviously very proud of how our players performed.”