Last week would see the culmination of the Year 7/8 Jnr NBA Competition in the Yorkshire Region, with no less than three Leeds schools in the Final-Four and representation from Abbey Grange, The Ruth Gorse Academy & Allerton High School.
Each of these schools had significant representation from COLBC’s youngest cohorts, and it was exciting to see young people from across the region, the beneficiary of the NBA’s signature piece for youth development in partnership with Basketball England.
Allerton High School, following an excellent season of development under lower-school pathway Head Coach Jake Shuttlewood, reached the final game where they would go down 12-31 to Champions Abbey Grange, under the guidance of Fraser Swarbrooke, who’s tireless work at Abbey Grange has seen them grow into perennial contenders each year.
In the final standings, The Ruth Gorse Academy achieved a Bronze Medal in their first year in competition, which reflects the hard work of COLBC Coaches, who have been embedded in the COLBC partner school for the full academic year.
Allerton High School Year 8 Maggie Newby was also crowned the winner of the tournament Shooting Competition.
COLBC Director Matt Newby was enthused by the significant impact of the partnerships with affiliate schools within the city:
“It’s great to see representatives of our programme enjoying the spotlight of the Jnr NBA Competition and critically, regional and localised competition between schools. This is a much needed component of the broader development of the sport. A huge congratulations to Fraser Swarbrooke and the Abbey Grange team for taking the Championship but the real winner is the West Yorkshire and Yorkshire Basketball fraternity, who see a new generation of young people excited about our sport.”
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