Westley Middle School enjoyed double success last week as their under-13 boys’ and girls’ teams shot to victory in the latest Suffolk School Basketball Finals, held at Suffolk One College.
Inspired by hotshot Lewis Tebbit, who scored 28 points, Bury-based Westley beat Holbrook in the boys’ final 50-32, and will now progress into a regional event where they will enjoy home comforts against the winners of the Essex Schools League.
For the girls, Katrina Kemp top-scored with 12 points as Westley beat Sudbury-based Thomas Gainsborough School 39-19 in a frantic final.
The result sees the girls through to a regional round where they will travel to the winner of the Essex Schools League.
Elsewhere, Copleston under-14 boys’ team were runaway winners after beating Ormiston Sudbury Academy 65-23 in the semi-finals, before edging past Bury St Edmunds-based County Upper Academy 60-40 in a high-scoring final, which saw sharpshooter Blake Read top-score with 33 points – over half of his team’s score!
Copleston will now face the winners of the Norfolk Schools League away from home in the next regional round.
However, heartbreak for the County Upper Academy boys was balanced by the girls’ team who destroyed and outscored all opponents in sight as they came out deserved winners after defeating Thomas Gainsborough 61-25 in the final, with Jasmine Tebbit high-scoring with 19 points.
The County Upper Academy girls will now be at home to the winners of the runners-up of the Essex Schools League while Thomas Gainsborough have been drawn away to the winners of the Norfolk Schools League.
Bury St Edmunds School Games organiser, Sara Loades, said: “I’d just like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the volunteers from Suffolk Basketball and the young leaders/officials from schools across the county who helped to support these finals. We would not be able to deliver them to the high standard that we do, if it wasn’t for them.
“Also a very big thank you to Suffolk One College for hosting the finals and giving it such a prestigious feel.
“The days are great for everyone involved but especially for the kids. We’ve ran these events for a few years now and have noticed that participation rates, particularly among the girls, are rapidly increasing each year.
“It’s great for the sport, the kids and everyone involved.”
The next groups of children set to play in the Suffolk School Basketball Finals are the under-12 and under-11 age groups, with the Inspire Suffolk dome in Ipswich (formerly Holywells High School) set to be the venue.
The games are set to go ahead on April 2.
Winning squads
Copleston under-14 boys: Charlie Clarkson, Owen Parkington, Matt Dorriety, Matt Murton, Gareth Holland, Tom Rudland, Blake Read, Nathan Patterson, Jack Knill, Mason Clarke-Stralley, Toby Sparling, Troy Huggins, Rhakeem Edwards-Channer, and Veron Eze.
County Upper Academy under-14 girls: A Jackson, Maya Price, Ruby Doherty, Jasmine Tebbit, E Jackson, Skye Dawes, Susie Brawn, and A Doherty.
Westley under-13 boys: Daniel Cook, Phil E-Bugg, Tom Halliday, Harvey Williams, Isaac Campbell, Freddie Barber, Lewis Tebbit, Josh Hales, Matt Spurling, Ellis Edwards, Ethan Price, Harris Lister, Ollie Selfe, and Barney McGuire.
Westley under-13 girls: Amy Ward, Eva Allan, Megan Utting, Katy Wall, Sasha Campbell, Katrina Kemp, Amy Mitchell, Carla Trundle, Toolsa Ahmed, Lucy Lofting, and Lucy Mason.
Full results and Final Standings for each age-group
Boys under-14 competition: County Upper Academy 55 Holbrook 37, Ormiston Sudbury Academy 23 Copleston 65
3rd/4th play off: Holbrook 52 Ormiston Sudbury Academy 24
Final: County Upper Academy 40 Copleston 60
Final Standings:
1st: Copleston
2nd: County Upper
3rd: Holbrook
4th: Ormiston
Girls under-14 competition: County Upper Academy 50 Thurston 22, Thomas Gainsborough 35 Farlingaye 12
3rd/4th place play off: Thurston 27 Farlingaye 25
Final: County Upper Academy 61 Thomas Gainsborough 25
Final Standings:
1st: County Upper Academy
2nd: Thomas Gainsborough
3rd: Thurston
4th: Farlingaye
Boys under-13 competition: Holbrook 50 Sir John Leman School 16, Copleston 29 Westley 46
3rd/4th play off: Copleston 39 Sir John Leman 18
Final: Westley 50 Holbrook 32
Final Standings:
1st: Westley
2nd: Holbrook
3rd: Copleston
4th: Sir John Leman
Girls under-13 competition: Westley 52 Hardwick 24, Thomas Gainsborough 20 Beyton 14
3rd/4th place play off: Hardwick 33 Beyton 12
Final: Westley 39 Thomas Gainsborough 19
Final Standings:
1st: Westley
2nd: Thomas Gainsborough
3rd: Hardwick
4th: Beyton
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