YOUNG players from a Teesside school have spoken of their pride at reaching a national basketball final.
The Under 14s Basketball team from Acklam Grange School, in Middlesbrough, travelled to Manchester to compete in the final of the Dynamik National Schools Basketball competition.
Despite ultimately losing in a heated match to Ormiston Park Academy, from London, players and staff were proud to represent Teesside on the national stage.
Justin Theakston, Sports Academy Lead and PE teacher at the Legacy Learning Trust school, said: “What a journey the team has been on over the past few years! This season, they played against the best basketball schools in the country, facing opposition from across the North East, Manchester, Merseyside, Oxford, and London.
“They are a talented group of young players, and they’ve been an absolute pleasure to work with. Their success in reaching the finals is a true reflection of their hard work, commitment, togetherness, and ability.
“While the result didn’t go our way, there were many positives to take from the performance – particularly the team’s response, resilience, and refusal to give in.
“These are experiences we’ll learn from and build on moving forward.”
This match was the first time in 15 years that an Acklam Grange side reached the national finals of any sport, but last summer the team was crowned North of England Basketball Champions after winning the Junior NBA competition, held at Newcastle University.
Jack Cunningham, a Year 9 player who scored 34 points in the final, said: “It’s been really special this year thanks to the level of talent that we have. We have so many players that are capable of playing at the highest level, and we play really well together as a team.”
Teammate Charlie Hudson added: “I didn’t feel like we struggled to reach the finals – it’s been quite shocking just how far we’ve come over the past couple of years.
“It would have meant a lot to win, but we’ve come a long way, and we’ve shown everyone that we are a good team.”