Bethan Fagan

A weekend of thrilling National League action, with two exciting match ups in the Premier Division.

Premier Division

London Titans 1 won their match against visiting side Mohawks 1 with a 25-point lead, winning 75:50 in a high-scoring match. Tyler Saunders (London Titans) was game leader on points with 25 points and Jack Perry (London Titans) top performer on total rebounds with 14 rebounds. David Ion had 7 rebounds and 17 points for Mohawks. Home team London Titans had a FT average of 75% (6/8) and had 34 total rebounds (versus Mohawks 18 rebounds).

Current table leaders The Owls 1 had a 55:42 victory at home against visitors Exeter Otters. Exeter Otters had an energetic second quarter where they had a 5-point lead, but The Owls came out strong after half time and finished the match with a 13-point lead. Lucas Warburton (The Owls) and Jordan Bright (Exeter Otters) both had 20 points, making them joint top performers on points. The pair were close on total rebounds, with Bright narrowly taking top rebounds with 16 (Warburton with 15).

Division 1 North

Sheffield Steelers 1 had a victory on the road against Manchester Giants Mavericks, winning 19:67 against the home team. Sheffield Steelers are currently second in the Division 1 North table.

Division 1 South

Table leaders The Bears 1 travelled to London Titans 2, taking the victory 53:77 against the home team. The Bears 1 are on a winning streak, with this being their fifth victory in a row.

Division 2 South

The Bears 2 claimed a victory against London Titans 3 in a double-header, with the visiting side winning 36:60 – back-to-back victories for the club on Saturday.

Cardiff Met Archers 1 suffered a 32:41 defeat against visitors Thames Valley Kings 2 after a close match.

Plymouth Fusion 2 travelled to Blackhawks 1 and took the win 42:48 – an important win for Plymouth Fusion 2 as they defend their top three placing in the table.

Division 3 North

North East Warriors 1 suffered a defeat at home against current table leaders Mohawks 3, who won 17:84

Lothian Phoenix 2 won their match against Calderdale WBC 1 39:42.

Division 3 Central

Leicester Cobras 1, who currently sit second in the table, travelled to Hereward Heat and won 38:49.

A full list of results and league tables are available here: https://britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/competition/national-league

Photo credit: basketballscotland

Press release: basketballscotland

basketballscotland are happy to announce that Mark Stevenson has been appointed as Interim Head Coach of our 3×3 Men’s National Wheelchair Team.

Stevenson will work with the team as they prepare for the 3×3 Commonwealth Games Qualifying Tournament, which is set to take place later this year after being postponed due to the pandemic at the end of 2021.

Before coaching, Stevenson started his wheelchair basketball career playing, where he represented Scotland with the U25s in the first two Celtic Cup competitions. He also played for Lothian Phoenix in British Wheelchair Basketball’s (BWB) National League Division 2, where he helped the team gain promotion to Division 1.

Stevenson, who was awarded basketballscotland’s Young Coach of the Year in 2011, received his first Head Coach appointment in 2012 with the U19s at BWB’s National Junior Championships. He is well known within the wheelchair basketball community having coached Scotland’s U18s, U19s and U23s teams at different points since 2012. He has coached at five BWB National Junior Championships and as well as four UK School Games.

More recently, Stevenson has been a part of basketballscotland’s Talent Development Programmes and coached the National Development Squads and National Squads. 

With seven wheelchair Scottish Cup Finals, six running Scottish Cup Finals and four basketballscotland National League Playoff Finals under his belt, Stevenson is looking forward to bringing his depth of knowledge of the game to the commonwealth team.   

“I am very excited to take up the role of Men’s Head Coach. For me, there is no greater honour than representing your country as a player or a coach, so I am a very proud Scot today to be working with such a great bunch of players.” Commented Stevenson. “We have a very hard-working team and staff who are all working together to achieve great things. The Commonwealth Games is one of the highest events we can represent Scotland in, so we are aiming to grab this opportunity with two hands and give our all to make the country proud.

basketballscotland’s Head of Performance, Barry Lang, commented “Mark has been a longstanding member of our wheelchair coaching community and we’re delighted that he has taken on this opportunity. He knows the guys in our depth chart having coached many of them throughout his time as an age group National Team Head Coach. The qualification tournament will allow us to showcase the 3×3 discipline and for Mark to prepare and lead our team a major event.”

British Wheelchair Basketball continually reviews its policies and procedures to ensure we are implementing strong governance across the sport. The following British Wheelchair Basketball Policy has been replaced and the new version of the policy is now live on the BWB website.

BWB Anti-Doping Policy:

• This is the implementation of a new policy.

The updated document can be viewed here.

BWB actively encourages all members and participants of the sport to read the new BWB Anti-Doping Policy, the new Policy will come into immediate effect and is available via the BWB website.

Press Release: basketballscotland

basketballscotland are delighted to announce that Steve Caine has been appointed as Head Coach of our 3×3 Women’s National Wheelchair Team ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games Qualifying Tournament. 

This is the first-time wheelchair basketball has been included in the Commonwealth Games programme in its 92-year history. The Games will also see the 3×3 format of the wheelchair game make its World debut.  

Not only will this be the first-time wheelchair basketball has been included in the Commonwealth Games programme in its 92-year history, but the game will also see the 3×3 format of the wheelchair game make its World debut. 

Having previously competed for Great Britain at three Paralympic Games, winning Paralympic, European and World medals, and going on to coach three national teams, Caine is well known in the wheelchair basketball community. 

Caine has a vast amount of coaching experience under his belt for both the wheelchair and running game, including both the Ukrainian and Moroccan national wheelchair teams.  

In 2018, Caine was appointed Great Britain’s Assistant Coach, where he would assist the Men’s team in their historic win over the USA to be become World Champions. Caine was the assistant coach for the GB Men’s team during their time competing in the 2020 Paralympics. More recently Caine was appointed acting Head Coach to the GB Women’s Wheelchair team at the 2021 European Championships.  

Speaking about his appointment, Caine commented “It’s always a great pleasure to work with National Teams because the glory of winning is more intense. To work with players who give their all for their country is no greater honour. I look forward to working with basketballscotland as we are aiming to achieve greats things.”  

Head of Performance at basketballscotland, Barry Lang commented “We’re excited to have someone of Steve’s quality leading our Wheelchair programme as we prepare to qualify for Birmingham 2022. His experience as a player and coach, at European, World and Paralympic events will be invaluable to our players and staff. Steve is renowned for his technical knowledge and high basketball IQ, but he is also a very humble guy and always puts the athletes at the centre of his decision making.” 

basketballscotland will announce the head coach for the Men’s National Wheelchair Team shortly.  

Following the announcement of the head coaches of the England 3×3 squads for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, trials for both Men’s and Women’s England 3×3 are live. Sign ups will close at 5pm on Sunday 13th February.

Selection for the Men’s and Women’s England 3×3 squads at Birmingham 2022 will be based on these trials. Both squads will be making history as wheelchair basketball is set to make its debut appearance in the competition as the first ever para team sport for Team England, and the first time the sport has been included within a Games.   

Sign-up for a trial via Playwaze – see the trial dates and locations below:

North trial – Leeds Beckett – Sunday 27th March 2022 – https://bwb.playwaze.com/team-england-3×3/83bzhmo1wnqun/session-display?eventid=PhysicalEvents/16577-A&d=null   

South trial – Stoke Mandeville Stadium – Friday 15th April 2022 – https://bwb.playwaze.com/team-england-3×3/83bzhmo1wnqun/session-display?eventid=PhysicalEvents/16609-A&d=null   

Midlands trial – University of Nottingham – Sunday 5th June 2022 – https://bwb.playwaze.com/team-england-3×3/83bzhmo1wnqun/session-display?eventid=PhysicalEvents/16578-A  

You are only required to attend one trial. 

Please join the Playwaze 3×3 England Community and sign up to a trial by 5pm on Sunday 13th February. 

You will then be sent information on how to get accredited through Commonwealth Games England, which needs to be completed by Sunday 20th February.  

N.B. We will be unable to select you if you do not complete your accreditation by this cut off. 

For further information, contact Justine Lucas: j.lucas@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk