Bethan Fagan

Applications for DiSE are open!

July 7, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

Aspiring young athletes who meet criteria can now apply for the Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme.

The two-year DiSE programme has been designed to meet the needs of young people who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their chosen sport and are aiming to perform at the highest level. The course aims to equip young athletes with on and off-court skills, and experience a high-performance environment whilst achieving a NVQ (National Vocational Qualification).

GB Women’s Lucy Robinson commented on DiSE:
“DiSE enabled me to gain a more in depth knowledge of the game on and off the court. It was a great chance for me to learn and develop my basketball skills alongside my A-Levels, allowing me to add an A-level equivalent qualification to my University applications.”

Applicants must be:

Age 16-18 (on 01/09/2023)
Studying A-Levels or a BTEC Level 3 Qualification
Hold a British passport
Living in England (during term-time)
Member of an affiliated BWB Club

The deadline for applications is Sunday 30th July 2023. Find out more and apply today: https://britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/diploma-in-sporting-excellence-dise/

If you have any further questions or would like an informal conversation, please contact Ryan Raghoo, England & Wales Pathway Manager (r.raghoo@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk)

The Summer of GB is almost here!

June 2, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

The countdown is nearly complete as the GB Men’s and GB Women’s teams finish their preparations ahead of travelling to the IWBF World Championships 2022!

GB Men competed in the Nations Cup Cologne last weekend, lining out on the court against The Netherlands, South Korea, Japan and Germany. The competition was a key developmental opportunity for the squad ahead of Worlds. Full results and livestreams can be found here: https://www.nations-cup.cologne/spielplan/spielplan-2023/

GB Women this week have hosted Canada for a series of friendlies as they put the finishing touches on their preparations ahead of travelling out. Adele Atkin joins the GB Women line up – the Cardiff Met Archers player has experience of competing for GB having made several appearances as a GB Junior, and will be marking her first senior call up with her inclusion in the Worlds squad. Adele’s call-up comes following a squad change with Maddie Thompson no longer available for selection.

GB Men

#5 – Simon Brown – 2.0

#6 – Kyle Marsh – 2.0

#7 – Terry Bywater – 4.5

#9 – Harry Brown – 2.5

#11 – Phil Pratt – 3.0

#12 – Gregg Warburton – 2.0

#13 – Martin Edwards – 4.0

#14 – Lee Manning – 4.5

#15 – Ben Fox – 3.5

#16 – Jim Palmer – 1.0

#17 – James MacSorley – 2.0

#18 – Lee Fryer – 4.0

GB Women

#4 – Charlotte Moore – 1.0

#5 – Sophie Carrigill – 1.0

#6 – Kayla Bell – 1.5

#7 – Helen Freeman – 4.0

#9 – Jude Hamer – 4.0

#12 – Lucy Robinson – 4.5

#13 – Siobhán Fitzpatrick – 3.0

#14 – Joy Haizelden – 2.5

#16 – Jade Atkin – 4.5

#17 – Maddie Martin – 3.0

#18 – Ellan Fraser – 3.0

#19 – Adele Atkin – 1.0

Originally scheduled for November 2022, the competition gets underway on the 9^th June in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 28 of the best men’s and women’s national teams from across the globe will compete in the competition. Fans will be able to follow the action on our dedicated GB fanzone.

Photo credit: Gero Müller-Laschet / Köln 99ers

National Championship Finals 2023!

May 21, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

A whirlwind weekend in Manchester saw our 2022-23 champions crowned, with six finals taking place across a spectacular two days of wheelchair basketball action.

Three of the finals were broadcast onto BBC Sport (Junior League, Women’s Premier League, and Premier Division), with the rest of the 19 games streamed live onto YouTube.

Junior League

Earning their way to the final through the Kukri Elite 8s competition earlier this year in April, Scottish Wizards and North Wales Knights took to the court in the heated conclusion to an exciting Junior League season. Scottish Wizards took the win 35:55.

Women’s Premier League

The Women’s Premier League drew to a dramatic close as Worcester Wolves claimed 3^rd place in the final moments of the game, winning 55:56 against league rivals Cardiff Met Archers.

In the final, Loughborough Lightning delivered a strong performance across the court, winning 75:47 over East London Phoenix.

Division 3

In the Division 3 semi-finals, Jaguars won 54:56 against Aces. North Wales Knights had a 59:42 victory over Southern Sharks.

Heading into the 3^rd/4^th place playoff, Southern Sharks took the win 35:43 against Jaguars. In the final, North Wales Knights had a comprehensive 34:60 win over Aces to be named the 2022-23 Division 3 Champions.

Division 2

The Division 2 semi-finals got underway with Mohawks winning 58:47 over Cardiff Met Archers and Aces were defeated 53:73 by Lothian Phoenix.

Cardiff Met Archers narrowly took the win in the 3^rd/4^th place playoff with a 63:61 win over Aces. In the final, a dramatic final basket secured the win for Mohawks against Lothian Phoenix as they won 52:50.

Division 1

Plymouth Fusion had a 57:75 victory against Mohawks, and Sheffield Steelers were defeated 68:43 by Jaguars.

In the 3^rd / 4^th place playoff, Mohawks won 68:44 versus Sheffield Steelers to claim 3^rd place. In the final, Jaguars delivered a solid team performance to take the win 66:72 against Plymouth Fusion.

Premier Division

The Premier Division semi-finals were buzzing, with London Titans winning 63:39 over CWBA and Manchester Revolution securing their place in the final with a 66:51 victory against Sheffield Steelers.

In the 3^rd/4^th place playoff, Sheffield Steelers were victorious with a 48:58 win against CWBA.

In a thrilling finale to the 2022-23 season, Manchester Revolution won 61:63 against last years champions London Titans.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and made this year’s National Championships Final special. A big shoutout goes to the officials and volunteers who make our sport possible. The countdown is on for the 2023-24 season!

GB SQUADS ANNOUNCED FOR 2022 IWBF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

May 18, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

The GB Men’s and GB Women’s squads have been announced for the upcoming 2022 IWBF World Championships, which take place in June.

Both squads feature a strong blend of experience and youth, with several Paralympians heading out onto the court alongside players earning their GB senior vests for the first time.

GB Men head into the competition as defending champions, having won the title in 2018. Notably today’s squad announcement marks Terry Bywater’s sixth consecutive World Championship selection, drawing on a legacy of high-level competition experience to light up the courts in Dubai. Recent IWBF Champions Cup and BSR league winners Harry Brown, Ben Fox, Lee Manning, Charlotte Moore and Phil Pratt have been selected. The 2018 World Championships MVP Gregg Warburton and Copa del Rey winner James MacSorley will also feature for GB this June.

Investment in the development of talented players is visible across the selections as five of the selected Men’s team athletes won the 2017 U23 World Championships (Palmer, Fox, Warburton, MacSorley, Fryer), and four of the Women’s team won the 2015 U25s World Championships (Haizelden, Carrigill, Moore, Fitzpatrick).

Marking their debut for GB in their first senior international appearances are Lee Fryer, Maddie Martin and Ellan Fraser.

The GB coaches have been hard at work preparing the teams ahead of the busy summer schedule. Bill Johnson and Joey Johnson, coaching team for the GB Men’s squad, have experienced success on the world stage in previous coaching roles with Canada and have been preparing the GB Men for the challenges ahead. Leading the GB Women is Head Coach Miguel Vaquero Maestre, working intently across the programme to ensure the athletes are prepared physically and mentally ahead of the World Championships.

Athletes across both squads are sure to bring significant power and energy onto the courts in Dubai, with masses of supporters at home and abroad cheering them on. A summer of GB action awaits as the European Championships 2023 follows closely behind in August, taking place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. We will be bringing you all the action across both squads across these exciting competitions!

GB Men

#5 – Simon Brown – 2.0

#6 – Kyle Marsh – 2.0

#7 – Terry Bywater – 4.5

#9 – Harry Brown – 2.5

#11 – Phil Pratt – 3.0

#12 – Gregg Warburton – 2.0

#13 – Martin Edwards – 4.0

#14 – Lee Manning – 4.5

#15 – Ben Fox – 3.5

#16 – Jim Palmer – 1.0

#17 – James MacSorley – 2.0

#18 – Lee Fryer – 4.0

GB Women

#4 – Charlotte Moore – 1.0

#5 – Sophie Carrigill – 1.0

#6 – Kayla Bell – 1.5

#7 – Helen Freeman – 4.0

#9 – Jude Hamer – 4.0

#12 – Lucy Robinson – 4.5

#13 – Siobhán Fitzpatrick – 3.0

#14 – Joy Haizelden – 2.5

#16 – Jade Atkin – 4.5

#17 – Maddie Martin – 3.0

#18 – Ellan Fraser – 3.0

#19 – Adele Atkin – 1.0

ROBYN LOVE RETIRES FROM INTERNATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

May 17, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

Two-time Paralympian and World Silver Medallist Robyn Love has announced her retirement from international duty in wheelchair basketball.

GB Women’s Robyn Love has called time on her extensive international career, having dedicated a decade of her life to the highest level of the sport.

A natural leader on the court, Robyn has been a stalwart of the sport for ten years having first played in 2013. An instant connection with the sport ensued – within one year of playing, Robyn was on the Performance radar and soon earned her first international call up in 2015 to assist the GB Women’s senior team to Silver in the Osaka Cup, Japan.

Closely following her first appearance in the European Championships in 2016 and securing qualification, Robyn made her Paralympic debut at Rio 2016 and assisted the team to a historic fourth place finish. With GB Women, Robyn would go on to claim Silver at the 2018 World Championships, Silver at the 2019 European Championships, 7^th Place at Tokyo 2020. Robyn captained the side to Silver at the 2021 European Championships, joint-highest ever achievement for the GB Women in a European Championships.

No stranger to marking milestones in the sport, Robyn made history at Birmingham 2022 in the first ever appearance of wheelchair basketball in a Commonwealth Games, proudly leading Team Scotland – a dream come true to represent her hometown of Ayr. In 2022, Robyn captained Loughborough Lightning as they won the first ever BWB Women’s Premier League title.

Most recently, a milestone was marked in her personal life as Robyn and partner and GB Women’s athlete Laurie Williams welcomed baby Alba into the world.

Robyn commented on her retirement from the international stage of wheelchair basketball:

“Wheelchair basketball for me is more than the game, it’s the people, the experience, the joy that it has brought me over the years and will continue to bring me.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to represent Great Britain, something that I never thought possible. Growing up with a disability, I never knew I could play sport at the highest level. When I saw it during the London 2012 Paralympics, I knew that that was what I was meant to do. Four years later, I was doing it.

“Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way and I’m so grateful for the opportunity that this sport has given me. We’ve created a legacy over the past ten years and one that I know the squad are going to build on going forward. Wheelchair basketball for women has grown so much, not only in this country but around the world, and I’m excited to see the progress of the women’s game, something that I hope I’ll still have a part in through the next kind of journey in my life.”

Diccon Edwards, Performance Director at British Wheelchair Basketball, commented:

“It has been evident ever since I started in the role the significant impact Robyn has had in the sport. Her passion and commitment to the GB team have always stood out and she has always led by example in her drive for success for the GB team.

“Whilst I know this has been a hard decision for her, she can be extremely proud of everything she has achieved and am confident she will have success in whatever she chooses to do next. She has been the inspiration for so many players, and I know she will continue to support and promote the game. Though she is retiring from GB, I am keen that she continues to develop as a coach and share her knowledge and experience to the next generation of players and I look forward to supporting her in the future.”

Robyn is set to continue playing domestically, building on success at Loughborough Lightning, alongside developing her skills in coaching. All at BWB wish all the best to Robyn for the next chapter, and a huge congratulations for her GB career.

GB Round-up: 6th/7th May 2023

May 8, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

Amiab Albacete were triumphant in the EuroCup Champions Cup, and in the WPL several GB Women stars rounded out their season in the last weekend of regular fixtures ahead of the National Championship Finals.

Hosted in Bemmel, The Netherlands, this year’s EuroCup Champions Cup was a dramatic weekend of fixtures with three of four teams featuring GB athletes. Gregg Warburton and Charlotte Moore were named in the All Star Team for the competition!

In the semi-finals, Amiab Albacete (Harry Brown, Ben Fox, Lee Manning, Charlotte Moore, Phil Pratt) won 81:63 against CD Ilunion (Gregg Warburton, Terry Bywater). For Albacete, Harry Brown had 5 points. Ben Fox had 13 points and 1 rebound. Lee Manning had 9 points, 9 rebounds and 1 assist. Phil Pratt had 18 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists. For Ilunion, Gregg Warburton had 19 points, 3 rebounds and 8 assists. Terry Bywater had 12 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist.

RSV Lahn-Dill (Simon Brown) were defeated by German league rivals Thuringia Bulls. Simon Brown had 1 point and 3 rebounds.

In the 3^rd/4^th place playoff, CD Ilunion won 73:71 against RSV Lahn-Dill in a close game. For Ilunion, Gregg Warburton had 11 points, 4 rebounds and 12 assists. Terry Bywater had 31 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists. For RSV Lahn-Dill, Simon Brown had 9 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists.

In the final, Amiab Albacete were victorious over German league winners Thuringia Bulls, winning 77:73 and claiming the Champions Cup title for the second time in a row. For Albacete, Harry Brown had 2 points and 2 rebounds. Ben Fox had 7 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist. Lee Manning had 13 points and 9 rebounds. Phil Pratt had 25 points, 3 rebounds and 12 assists.

In the final weekend of regular season games for the WPL, East London Phoenix (Amy Conroy, Jude Hamer, Sophie Carrigill) won 46:59 against hosts Cardiff Met Archers (Jade Atkin). For Archers, Jade Atkin had 21 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. For Phoenix, Jude Hamer had 16 points, 18 rebounds and 7 assists. Sophie Carrigill had 16 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.

Loughborough Lightning (Siobhán Fitzpatrick, Robyn Love, Lucy Robinson) won 35:57 against Worcester Wolves (Kayla Bell). For Wolves, Kayla Bell had 4 points and 3 rebounds. For Lightning, Siobhán Fitzpatrick had 2 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Lucy Robinson had 21 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

All four WPL teams head into the National Championships, taking place 20^th/21^st May. Loughborough Lightning will take on East London Phoenix in the final, and Worcester Wolves and Cardiff Met Archers will meet in the 3^rd/4^th playoff game.

The eagerly anticipated National Championship Finals will feature teams across the BWB National League, with finals for Divsions 1-3, Premier Division, Junior League and Women’s Premier League. This prestigious event takes place in Manchester, 20^th/21^st May, and tickets are available now: https://britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/national-championships-2023/

GB Round-up: 29th/30th April

May 2, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

EuroCup 1 – 3 concluded across three countries this weekend, with several GB athletes proudly representing their clubs.

London Titans (Jude Hamer, Jack Perry) were in Türkiye for EuroCup 3. In their opening game against Yalova Ortopedikler Spor Kulübü, London Titans won 85:81. Jude Hamer had 14 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Jack Perry had 24 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists.

Next up, London Titans won 58:54 against Hannover United, where Jude Hamer had 10 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist, and Jack Perry had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists.

Advancing to the semi-finals against Dinamo Lab Banco Di Sardegna, London Titns were defeated 50:70. Jude Hamer had 6 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist. Jack Perry had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

In the 3^rd/4^th playoff, London Titans were defeated 56:69 by Izmir Buyuksehir. Jude Hamer had 10 points and 2 rebounds. Jack Perry had 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

In their opening game of the EuroCup 1 Final in Cantú, Italy, Bidaideak Bilbao (James MacSorley) won 73:51 against BG Baskets Hamburg. James MacSorley had 4 points.

In their second game, Bilbao won 62:89 against CTH de Lannion. MacSorley had 10 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist.

In the semi-final, Bilbao won 58:46 against hosts Briantea84 Cantú. James MacSorley had 6 points and 3 rebounds.

In the final, Bilbao were defeated 69:53 by ASD S. Stefano Sport. James MacSorley had 6 points and 3 rebounds.

At home in the Women’s Premier League, Cardiff Met Archers (Jade Atkin) won 49:44 against Worcester Wolves (Kayla Bell). For Archers, Jade Atkin had 24 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. For Wolves, Kayla Bell had 5 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

Loughborough Lightning (Siobhán Fitzpatrick, Robyn Love, Lucy Robinson) won 64:35 in their final home game of the year against East London Phoenix (Sophie Carrigill, Amy Conroy, Jude Hamer). For Lightning, Siobhán Fitzpatrick had 5 rebounds. Robyn Love had 9 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Lucy Robinson had 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. For Phoenix, Sophie Carrigill had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists.

EuroCup 2023: https://www.iwbf-europe.org/

Spanish League: http://bsr.feddf.es/

German League: https://rollstuhlbasketball.de/

BWB National League: https://britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/competition/national-league/

BWB Women’s Premier League: https://britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/competition/womens-premier-league-2022-23/

Tickets are live for the National Championship Finals 2023!

May 2, 2023 by Bethan Fagan

Taking place 20th-21st May at the National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester, the National Championship Finals will crown the 2022-2023 champions across the Junior League, Women’s Premier League, and Divisions 1-3 and Premier Division of the National League.

Across the weekend, both courts will be in action as we conclude our thrilling 2022-23 season. Fixtures and results will be available on the BWB website updating regularly throughout the weekend.

Tickets are available now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-championship-finals-2023-tickets-621761063077

The schedule for the weekend has also been released: https://britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/national-championships-2023/

National League Divisions 1-3 and Premier Division will compete across semi-finals on the Saturday before heading into the finals and 3rd/4th place playoffs on Sunday.

North Wales Knights and Scottish Wizards will meet in the Junior League final, with both teams having earned their place in the exhilarating Elite 8s competition that took place in April.

The Women’s Premier League season will conclude with a 3rd/4th place playoff and final on the Saturday evening, with all four teams in action.