The GB Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team claim the 2018 World Championships Crown in a dramatic final game showdown against the USA

The GB teams have dominated the 2018 World Championships held in Hamburg this month as the squads return to the UK with twenty four medals in their hand luggage. 

In what was undoubtedly a battle of the wheelchair basketball titans as Paralympic Bronze medallist GB met Gold Medallist the USA in the final game of the 2018 World Championships. The USA side having served GB their only defeat in an otherwise unblemished tournament record during the pool stages.

Phil Pratt’s men left their hearts on the Hamburg court in the final as they delivered a commanding and unstoppable performance – the numbers speak for themselves with George Bates, Harry Brown, Gregg Warburton, Phil Pratt and Lee Manning all adding to the GB points tally. Bates achieving an incredible 87% FG average and Pratt making 12 assists.

Seeing the gold within their sights the GB men ratcheted up the pressure in the final quarter and cleared a strong seventeen point win; an emotional moment for Head Coach’s Haj Bhania’s team who headed to Hamburg with the singular mission of bringing home the gold.

Much has been said about the changing of the guard within his World Championship squad but ultimately what they brought to court was a true GB team through and through.

Following the win Phil Pratt commented:

“Unbelievable feeling right now – to beat some of my idols growing up like Steve Serio and Matt Scott – these guys were my role models growing up and I used to watch hours and hours of their games.

“To beat them by 17 points in the final is unbelievable – I don’t they’ve lost a game for nearly four years, so to be the team that break that streak, wow. We are such a young team – but we are good friends. This showed on the floor when times got tough – we dug in deep and knew it would come good at the end. As a team our future as a team is huge”

The British Wheelchair Basketball’s GB Performance Programme can rightfully be proud of its squad today – the men’s senior, men’s junior and women’s junior teams all now hold current World Championship titles and our GB women holding the silver.

History has been made at the 2018 World Championships with the GB men having won their first ever World Championships and the women securing their first ever place at a final and silver medal at a major.

With yesterday marking exactly two years until the Tokyo Paralympics the future is looking very good for our British Wheelchair Basketball players.

All Star Women: Helen Freeman

MVP Tournament (Men): Gregg Warburton

Tournament Results for GB Teams: link

Men’s Gold Medal Game Stats: link