B2B April Half-Term Comps: Building Confidence and Community for Wandsworth Youth through basketball
- Iman Ogoo
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
April’s B2B Basketball Half-Term Comps tournament was a real game-changer! From the minute we opened registration, the hype began - 21 young people signed up within the first 24 hours alone! Demand was so high that we had to close registration a whole week before the event, with 70 young people signed up and ready to play.
On the day, 45 players turned up and brought the energy, enthusiasm and skills that kept the atmosphere vibrant from start to finish. The event kicked off with a dynamic coaching session, giving participants a chance to work on their techniques, learn new drills and get warmed up for the games ahead. The coaching set the tone for teamwork and development - two values we hold high in everything we do.
Jimmy Asher Foundation were proud to partner with London Basketball Association (LBA) who generously supplied us with 100 bottles of popular Prime drinks to keep everyone hydrated and energised throughout the day.
We saw some serious talent shine through at the B2B Comps. It was wonderful to see the teamwork and determination from each squad.
Results for the categories were:
Under 14s
Winners: Bucket Squad
Runners Up: Black Panthers
MVP: Sobham (Bucket Squad)
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Under16s
Winners: And 1
Runners Up: Random
MVP: Raf (And 1)
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Under 19s
Winners: ICB
Runners Up: Soldiers
MVP: Omar (ICB)
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 Huge thanks to Coach Franck, who as well as organising the fixtures, kindly donated 8 pairs of New Balance Kawhi basketball footwear as prizes for the competition winners - a brilliant reward for the hard work put in. Winners and runners-up walked away with medals, and every participant earned a certificate to recognise their efforts and contribution to the day.
This project was proudly funded by Wandsworth Council, who came down in full support - special thanks to Kiru and her team, and Andrea who also attended from the Council. We also had a visit from Kirsty and her team who brought along the Wandsworth Youth Bus, a mobile youth centre featuring gaming and music studio equipment and advisory services. This added even more to the day’s activities and opportunities for young people.
Photo Gallery: TSA Studios
Much appreciation to everyone who came along and got involved, especially our fantastic team who supported the event. Your energy made this event one to remember: Warren and Schmarr from Croydon Elite basketball team gave their time and expertise to train the participants and officiate the games. Coaches Tony and Flynn also officiated and refereed the games with great skill and care. Our Youth Volunteers were on point too - Nakieah kept the registration process running smoothly throughout the day and Josiah helped with the venue set-up and management, ensuring everything flowed well. Joel Samuel co-hosted the event and delivered a powerful and inspiring motivational talk - check it out on our Instagram post.
Irah Carty, a former B2B player who later went on to coach with us, performed one of his tracks and also gave a great motivational speech to the players. Irah is a brilliant example of the opportunities and growth our programmes can offer.
Terance Maxie Smith AKA Max Da Cab Man was our DJ and comedic host, keeping the vibes and energy high.
Shevon provided delicious lunchtime bites that went down a treat, while Tiarna ran a slushie drinks stand to cool and refresh the ballers. Tanya of TSA Photography captured all the best moments of the event, and Rakeem of On The Scene Media filmed the event for us to share highlights our socials. Lastly, a big thank you to Steph and the team at Tooting Leisure Centre for providing excellent facilities at our host venue and welcoming us so generously.
Check out the B2B highlights video:
The next B2B Half Term Comps tournament is coming up on May 29th at Tooting Leisure Centre.
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