Pupils from a primary school in South Shields are celebrating a slam dunk after being named district champions for South Tyneside.
The children, who are in year 5 at St Bede’s Primary School, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, beat stiff competition and came back from behind to win in front of a 3000-strong crowd at the Vertu Motor Arena in Newcastle.
In a tournament organised by the Newcastle Eagles Basketball Foundation, as part of a Hoops for Health initiative, the pupils firstly played games in a round-robin format, qualifying for the final in first place.
Brian McVittie, a teacher at St Bede’s Primary School, said: “The children played incredibly well throughout the games and worked so hard to reach the final.
“They showed excellent character and resilience to come back from being 2-0 down and sharpshooter Maisie Hadley became St Bede’s match-winner, demonstrating that all her practice had paid off with the winning free throw!
“I was extremely proud of our children after watching them develop as a team in training, where they have shown so much dedication.
“It was also wonderful to see the great family, teacher and wider school community support from South Shields, which has been fantastic.
“To play in front of a large audience at such a young age is amazing but terrifying at the same time. They handled the occasion so well and winning was the icing on the cake.”
St Bede’s won eight games in a row to qualify for the final. In the final game, they came back from behind to secure a draw when the closing whistle was blown. The match then went to penalties and St Bede’s were crowned 2022 South Tyneside district champions.
Team captain Kiyan Mehri, aged 10, said: “It was a great experience to play at the home of the Newcastle Eagles in front of a big crowd.
“We went out there to enjoy the game and support each other; it was simply amazing to lift the cup at the end!”