Bethan Fagan

National Championship Finals 2022!

May 16, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

Over the weekend of 14th/15th May, the first National Championship Finals since 2019 took place at UEL SportsDock which marked the end of a season to remember for many clubs.

Division 3

After strong performances from Mohawks 3 and Sheffield Steelers 3 in the semi-finals, both teams were raring to go in the Division 3 final, much to the enjoyment of the spectators at the venue and those watching at home on the livestream. Mohawks 3 came away with the win 50:44, holding off against Sheffield Steelers 3’s dynamic plays.

In the Division 3 3rd/4th place playoff, Thames Valley Kings 3 had a 51:39 victory over Brixton Ballers 1.

Division 2

Wakefield Whirlwinds 2 appeared unstoppable in the Division 2 final stages, winning the final with a 44-point lead over Sussex Bears 1 and taking the title with a 68:24 victory. Wakefield Whirlwinds 2 had 100% (5/5) on free throws, showcasing their shooting talent throughout the match.

In the Division 2 3rd/4th place playoff, Plymouth Fusion 2 won 57:48 against Lothian Phoenix 1.

Division 1

The Division 1 final was one of several highlights of the weekend, with the top two teams evenly matched in a high-scoring, high adrenaline game. The Bears 2 and Mohawks 2 were 36:34 at half time and the crowd was gathering with anticipation to see which side would carry the momentum through to the end. After a stunning performance from both teams, The Bears won 64:63 and were crowned Division 1 champions.

In the Division 1 3rd/4th place playoff, Sheffield Steelers 2 had a 17-point win over London Titan’s 2, building their lead after a strong first quarter from the Titans side.

Junior League

Following the highly competitive Elite 8’s competition in April, Wakefield Whirlwinds and Thames Valley Kings were confirmed as our Junior League finalists. The final took place on the Saturday evening of the competition weekend. There was tension in the air and a buzz in the growing crowd as both teams headed out onto the court.

Wakefield Whirlwinds ended Thames Valley King’s Junior League perfect win streak with a dominant performance, claiming the title with a 61:27 victory.

Women’s Premier League

History was made at the National Championship Finals 2022 as the first ever Women’s Premier League final took place following the inaugural season. East London Phoenix and Loughborough Lightning met in an explosive final, showcasing the brand-new league in fierce competition with players across the court showing great skill. With both teams pushing each other throughout the match, Lightning pulled ahead in the final quarter to take the win 64:73 and earn the first ever title – unbeaten in the 2022 league.

In the Women’s Premier League 3rd/4th place playoff, Worcester Wolves delivered a solid team performance after a tough first half to take third place, winning 32:44 over Cardiff Met Archers.

Premier Division

The long-awaited Premier Division final had an electric atmosphere as London Titans 1 took on CWBA 1. Into the first quarter, CWBA were fast off the mark following tip-off. Titans soon picked up the momentum and built to a 20-point lead. CWBA worked hard to close the gap but could not ultimately overcome the strong Titans side who won 77:62. One of several highlight moments of the game was Jack Perry of London Titans achieving a triple double.

In the Premier Division 3rd/4th place playoff, Mohawks 1 were defeated 54:81 by Sheffield Steelers 1 whose accuracy on shooting was a key aspect of their victory.

Thank you to all teams, officials, volunteers, and spectators who took part in the National Championship Finals 2022.

National Championship Finals Attendee Information (11.05.22)

May 11, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

It has been phenomenal to see such a huge response for National Championships 2022 tickets – our first major National League competition since May 2019.

Tickets for Court One, for both the Saturday and Sunday, have now sold out following huge demand. Throughout the event, the event team will prioritise ticket holders in accessing Court One, however those without a ticket will be permitted into the court on a game by game basis – access for non ticket holders will be based on court spectator capacity (as we expect the number of spectators to fluctuate throughout the day). Any non ticket holders will be asked to leave Court One following the end of each fixture.

We politely ask that spectators support our event staff to manage this process, so that we can keep the health and safety of all attendees a priority and ensure an enjoyable event for everyone.

Please note, you only need a ticket to enter Court One. You do not need a ticket to access Court Two or Court Three. Should any of the courts be full, there is also a café and seating area as you enter the venue.

Ticket Holders:

Ticket holders must have their Eventbrite e-tickets ready to scan on entrance to Court One. All ticket holders will be provided with a wristband which must be worn and shown to the event team to allow re-entry to Court One (if required).

We ask that all ticket holders are seated ten minutes prior to the fixture they wish to spectate, this will enable the Event Team to review the opportunity of offering access to non-ticket holders.

Seating at the event is unallocated.

Anyone who has registered for a ticket but will not use it, or have tickets as part of their booking that they will not use, please email membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk

Players and Team Staff:

Players and team staff do not need a ticket to access the courts they are playing on. However, access to courts outside of players own fixtures will be based on the court capacity and managed as non-ticket holders as detailed above.

All team managers have been provided with information packs about participation in the event. Should you have any questions regarding your fixture please first speak with your team manager.

Venue Information:

Venue information can be found via the UEL SportsDock website, including contact information for venue staff.
SportsDock venue website: https://www.uel.ac.uk/study/student-life/sport/sportsdock
SportsDock venue contact: https://www.uel.ac.uk/study/student-life/sport/sportsdock/contact-us

COVID-19:

All attendees are recommended to complete a negative lateral flow test result on the day prior, or date of National Championship Finals. Face coverings are recommended when participants are not playing on court. Face coverings are recommended to be worn by all support roles throughout the day (eg. Coaches, team managers, event staff and other supporting personnel such as carers).

Should anyone feel unwell prior to the fixture we ask that they do not attend.

Travel:

Please note that the University of East London SportsDock sits within the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone). In order for you to avoid being penalised, please check your vehicle here or pay your daily fee: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone

Livestreams:

We’re delighted to have BBC Sport broadcasting the Junior League final, the Women’s Premier League final, and the National League Premier Division Final.

Outside of the three BBC Sport matches, all matches on Court One across both days will be livestreamed on the BWB YouTube channel.

WPL Round-up: 7th May

May 9, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

Loughborough Lightning finish the season 9/9 after an exciting final match against visitors Worcester Wolves.

Loughborough Lightning 60 – 35 Worcester Wolves

After what appeared to initially be a strong start by Lightning, Wolves got momentum going on their game making plenty of shots and working hard in defense to dominate the second quarter gaining a 6-point lead. Wolves headed into the second half to face a rejuvenated Lightning side, with the home team landing shots and decisive technical manoeuvres across the court to regain the lead and extend it to 25-points in the final quarter.

For Lightning, Robyn Love was game leader on points with 15 points followed by Lucy Robinson with 15 and Laurie Williams with 11 points. Love was Lightning’s top performer on rebounds with 13 rebounds, followed by Robinson with 4 rebounds and Williams with 3 rebounds. On assists, Love was game leader with 12, followed by Williams with 8. Three Lightning players had 3 steals each: Love, Williams, and Jude Hamer.

For Worcester, Sarah Hope and Kayla Bell were joint team top performers on points with 10 points each, followed by Jade Loughlin with 5 points. Hope was game leader on rebounds with 16 rebounds, followed by teammate Ellan Fraser with 5 rebounds and J Loughlin with 4 rebounds. J Loughlin was Wolves top performer on assists with 6 assists, followed by teammate Hope with 2 assists. Amber Loughlin, Ellan Fraser and Kayli English each had 1 assist.

All four WPL teams head into the National Championship Finals 2022, taking place at UEL SportsDock 14th/15th May.

The semi-finals take place Saturday 14th, beginning 9:00 and will be livestreamed on the BWB YouTube. The final will take place Sunday 15th at 15:15 and will be broadcast live on the BBC Sport digital channels. Full schedule: https://britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/2022/05/tickets-and-schedule-for-national-championship-finals-2021-22/

GB Round-up: 7th/8th May

May 9, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

GB athletes featured in six out of eight of the teams representing at the IWBF EuroCup 2022 Champions Cup.

CS Meaux (Helen Freeman) were defeated 94:57 in the first round at Champions Cup 2022 by hosts and German league winners RSB Thuringia Bulls – Helen Freeman had 6 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. In their placing game, CS Meaux were then defeated 86:73 by Italian league winners Briantea84 Cantù. In their final game of the tournament, CS Meaux lined up against Bibaideak Bilbao BSR and were defeated 79:63, finishing 8^th overall.

Bidaideak Bilbao BSR (James MacSorley) were defeated 86:69 in their opening game against German side RSV Lahn-Dill – James MacSorley had 1 point and 1 rebound. In their second game, Hornets Le Cannet won 96:59 against the Spanish side; MacSorley had 2 points, 1 assist and 1 rebound. In Bilbao’s victory against CS Meaux, earning them 7^th place overall, MacSorley had 6 points and 2 rebounds.

Fresh from winning the Italian league, Briantea84 Cantù (Ian Sagar, Sophie Carrigill) came up against a strong BSR Amiab Albacete side in the first round and were defeated 60:78 – Ian Sagar had 10 points, 5 rebounds. In their second round 86:73 victory against CS Meaux, Sagar had 34 points and 10 rebounds. In the 5/6^th place playoff, Hornets Le Cannet won 71:64 – Sagar had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists.

RSV Lahn-Dill (Simon Brown) got their Champions Cup 2022 campaign off to a good start with a strong performance over Bidaideak Bilbao BSR, winning 86:69 – Simon Brown had 4 rebounds and 2 assists. In the semi-finals, the German side was defeated by CD Ilunion 83:77; Brown had 2 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. In the 3/4^th place playoff, RSV Lahn-Dill came up against their domestic league rivals RSB Thuringia Bulls and were defeated 51:75, finishing in fourth place.

BSR Amiab Albacete (Kyle Marsh, Harry Brown, Ben Fox, Gaz Choudhry, Lee Manning) had success at the Champions Cup 2022, winning every match including their tough final fixture against domestic league rivals CD Ilunion. In their opening match, Albacete won 60:78 against Italian league champions Briantea84 Cantù. Albacete narrowly won the semi-final against German league champions RSB Thuringia Bulls 70:68. In the final, Albacate had a 64:78 victory against CD Ilunion. Across the tournament, Kyle Marsh had 59 points, 9 rebounds and 26 assists. Harry Brown had 4 points. Ben Fox had 9 points, 13 rebounds and 1 assist. Gaz Choudhry had 63 points, 20 rebounds and 17 assists. Lee Manning had 38 points, 31 rebounds and 4 assists.

CD Ilunion (Gregg Warburton, Terry Bywater) won their opening match of the Champions Cup 2022 against Hornets Le Carnnet 73:57. Terry Bywater had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists, Gregg Warburton had 19 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists. In their semi-final victory over RSV Lahn Dill, Bywater had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists, and Warburton had 6 points, 1 rebound and 11 assists. In the final, CD Ilunion were defeated 64:78 by BSR Amiab Albacete – Bywater had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, and Warburton had 13 points, 1 rebound and 6 assists.

At home in the National League, London Titans 1 are into the Premier Division playoffs following their 57:60 victory over CWBA 1. For Titans, Jack Perry had 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. For CWBA, Tom Smith had 18 points, 15 rebounds and 2 assists. Kayla Bell had 4 points.

Maddie Thompson had 21 points for Sheffield Steelers 1 in their 66:84 victory over Mohawks 1.

In the Women’s Premier League, Loughborough Lightning (Lucy Robinson, Robyn Love, Laurie Williams, Jude Hamer, Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Niamh Horan) finish the regular season 9/9, having won every match they played in the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League following their victory against visitors Worcester Wolves. For Lightning, Laurie Williams had 11 points, 3 rebounds and 8 assists. Jude Hamer had 2 points and 1 assist. Siobhan Fitzpatrick had 6 points and 2 rebounds. Lucy Robinson had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Robyn Love had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. Niamh Horan had 4 points and 2 rebounds. For Wolves, Sarah Hope had 10 points, 16 rebounds and 2 assists. Kayla Bell had 10 points and 1 rebound.

Policy Update

May 9, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

British Wheelchair Basketball continually reviews its policies and procedures to ensure we are implementing strong governance across the sport. The following three British Wheelchair Basketball Policies have been updated and the new versions of the policies are now live on the BWB website. A summary of changes are as follows:

Safeguarding Policy: Amendment to the Data Notice to sections 2.2 & addition of section 2.3 and Appendix 3 (Sport Integrity Service)
Disciplinary Policy: Addition of BWB Anti-Doping Policy to section 3, Amendment to the Data Notice paragraph 2 and addition of paragraph 3 and Appendix C (Sport Integrity Service)
Anti-Doping Policy: Amendment to Section 10 Athlete Retirement

The updated documents can be viewed here.

You do not need to do anything, the changes to the Privacy Notice will come into immediate effect and are available via both our online system and the BWB website.

WPL Round-up: 30th April

May 5, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

East London Phoenix end their regular season on a high, and Worcester Wolves headed to Loughborough for the first of two away fixtures against Lightning.

East London Phoenix 75 – 46 Cardiff Met Archers

Home team Phoenix got the game underway with a strong team performance from the start, spurred on by the addition of Fi Tillman in her first appearance for the side this season. Phoenix notably had two three-pointers during the game from Beth Wheeler. This was the final regular season game for both teams, who now turn their attention to the playoffs at the National Championship Finals 14/15^th May. Phoenix and Archers are guaranteed to play each other in the semi-final.

For Phoenix, Beth Wheeler was game leader on points with 28 points, followed by Amy Conroy with 22 points and Alice McHaffie with 11 points. On rebounds, Amy Conroy was game leader with 9 rebounds, followed by Beth Wheeler and Alice McHaffie with 8 each. Amy Conroy was top performer for Phoenix on assists with 5 assists, closely followed by teammate Freya Levy with 4 assists.

For Archers, Leah Evans was top performer the Cardiff side on points with 14 points, followed closely by Anastasia Blease with 12 points and Jade Atkin with 10 points. Blease and J. Atkin were tied on top performer for Archers on rebounds with 7 rebounds each, followed by Maddie Martin with 4 rebounds. Martin was game leader on assists with 6 assists, followed by Blease with 3 assist and Evans with 2 assists.

Loughborough Lightning 67 – 37 Worcester Wolves

Wolves were defeated in the first of two back-to-back away games against Lightning. After their final regular season game on the 7^th May, both teams will be heading to the National Championship Finals for their match-up in the playoffs as they are guaranteed to play against each other in the semi-final.

For Lightning, Lucy Robinson was game leader on points with 23 points, closely followed by teammate Robyn Love with 22 points. On rebounds, Love was Lightning’s top performer with 11 rebounds, followed by teammate Robinson with 6 rebounds and Laurie Williams with 5 rebounds. Love was game leader on assists with 14 assists, followed by Williams with 9 assists.

For Wolves, Jade Loughlin was team top performer on points with 10 points, followed by Sarah Hope with 8 points, and Amber Loughlin and Ellan Fraser with 6 points each. Hope was game leader on rebounds with 15 rebounds, with Jessica Dowdeswell second top performer for Wolves with 4 rebounds. J. Loughlin was Wolves top performer on assists with 5 assists, followed by Hope with 3 assists.

The Women’s Premier League final will be broadcast live on BBC Sport as part of the National Championship Finals coverage. The final will take place 15^th May at 15:15.

GB Round-up: 30th April / 1st May

May 5, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

Victory in Italy for Briantea84 Cantú (Ian Sagar, Sophie Carrigill) as they won the Italian League! After a strong season, Briantea84 Cantú won the final 55:51 in a close match against Amicacci Giulianova, in which both Sophie Carrigill and Ian Sagar contributed to their team’s victory. Ian Sagar had 7 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

In France, CS Meaux 1 (Helen Freeman) won their first match in the Coupe de France 2022 final stages, winning the quarter-final 72:83 against Hyéres. In the semi-finals, CS Meaux 1 were defeated 71:52 by Red Dragon Metz who went on to win the competition.

In Spain, the pressure is on as the playoffs and finals are fast approaching with the conclusion of the regular season. League leaders BSR Amiab Albacete (Kyle Marsh, Harry Brown, Ben Fox, Gaz Choudhry, Lee Manning) won their home game 76:42 against visitors Servigest Burgos (Lee Fryer). Kyle Marsh was game leader on points with 32 points, and had 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Harry Brown had 3 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds. Ben Fox had 4 points, 1 assist and 3 rebound. Gaz Choudhry was top performer on assists with 9 assists, and had 8 points and 3 rebounds. Lee Manning was game leader on rebounds with 11 rebounds, and had 10 points.

CD Ilunion (Gregg Warburton, Terry Bywater) won 86:52 against visiting side UCAM Murcia BSR. Terry Bywater was game leader on points and assists, with 27points and 9 assists, and had a 3pt average of 83% (5/6) and 12 rebounds. Gregg Warburton had 15 points, 3 rebounds and 9 assists.

Bidaideak Bilbao BSR (James MacSorley) had a narrow victory against Amivel Reyes Gutierrez (Abdi Jama, Tyler Baines, Peter Cusack), winning 71:70 in the final moments of the game. James MacSorley (Bilbao) had 4 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists for his winning side. Abdi Jama (Amivel) had 11 points and 2 assists. Peter Cusack (Amivel) had 4 points and 4 rebounds.

Mideba Extremadura (Charlotte Moore, Phil Pratt, Lewis Edwards) won 64:56 against Fundación Aliados. Lewis Edwards was joint game leader on rebounds with 11 rebounds, and had 21 points and 3 assists. Phil Pratt was game leader on assists with 8 assists and had 7 rebounds.

The final will be Amiab Albacete versus Mideba Extremadura on 14^th May.

At home in the Women’s Premier League, Loughborough Lightning (Lucy Robinson, Robyn Love, Laurie Williams, Jude Hamer, Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Niamh Horan) won 67:37 over Worcester Wolves (Sarah Hope, Kayla Bell). For Lightning, Robyn Love was game leader on assists with 14, and had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Laurie Williams had 4 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists. Jude Hamer had 6 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Siobhan Fitzpatrick had 2 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Lucy Robinson was game leader on points with 23 points, and had 6 rebounds and 1 assist. For Wolves, Sarah Hope was game leader on rebounds with 15 rebounds, and had 8 points and 3 assists. Kayla Bell had 2 points and 3 rebounds.

In the National League Premier Division, Jack Perry had 31 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists in London Titans 1’s 66:84 victory over Sheffield Steelers. Maddie Thompson had 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists for Sheffield Steelers.

Tickets and schedule for National Championship Finals 2021/22!

May 4, 2022 by Bethan Fagan

Taking place 14^th – 15^th May at the UEL SportsDock, the National Championship Finals will crown the 2021-2022 champions across the Junior League, Women’s Premier League, and all divisions of the National League including the prestigious Premier Division.

All National League divisions including the Women’s Premier League first compete in semi-finals, then advance to either the final or a 3^rd/4^th place playoff. This will be the first ever Championship final for the Women’s Premier League, marking the end to an exciting inaugural season of this ground-breaking league.

Wakefield Whirlwinds and Thames Valley Kings placed top of the bracket at the Junior League Elite 8’s competition in April to earn their place in the Junior League Final, which takes place Saturday evening.

BBC Sport will be broadcasting the Junior League final, the Women’s Premier League final, and the National League Premier Division Final. All matches on Court One across both days will be livestreamed on the BWB YouTube channel.

Ticket for this event are free – book yours here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-championship-finals-2022-tickets-325601993327

National Championships Finals 2022 Schedule day one:

Time	Court One	Court Two	Court Three
9:00	Women’s Premier League – Semi-final 1 East London Phoenix v Cardiff Met Archers	Division 2 – Semi-final 1 Wakefield Whirlwinds v Plymouth Fusion	Division 2 – Semi-final 2 Sussex Bears v Lothian Phoenix
11:00	Women’s Premier League – Semi-final 2 Loughborough Lightning v Worcester Wolves	Division 3 – Semi-final 1 Mohawks v Thames Valley Kings	Division 3 – Semi-final 1 Sheffield Steelers v Brixton Ballers
13:00	Premier Division – Semi-final 1 London Titans v Mohawks	Division 2 – 3rd/4th Place	Division 1 – Semi-final 2 The Bears v Sheffield Steelers
15:00	Premier Division – Semi-final 2 Sheffield Steelers v CWBA	Division 1 – Semi-final 1 Mohawks v London Titans	Division 3 – 3rd/4th Place
17:15	Junior League – Final Wakefield Whirlwinds v Thames Valley Kings

National Championships Finals 2022 Schedule day two:

Time	Court One	Court Two / Three
9:00	Division 3 – Final	Women’s Premier League – 3rd/4th
11:00	Division 2 – Final	Premier Division – 3rd/4th
13:00	Division 1 – Final	Division 1 – 3rd/4th
15:15	Women’s Premier League – Final
17:30	Premier Division – Final

Updated: 11/05/2022

Update 10/05/2022:

Information regarding National Championship Finals tickets:

Players / team staff:
Please speak to your team managers who have received the full event pack today which contains all information about the event and venue.

Spectators:
Tickets are only being ‘sold’ for Court One. You do not need a ticket to enter Court Two or Court Three, though please note that venue capacity may be reached at some points in the day which will be at the discretion of venue staff. If the courts reach capacity, there is a café and seating area as you enter the venue.

Court One tickets do not allocate specific seats and we expect there to be peaks and troughs throughout the three courts across the two days as the fixtures progress.