Youth Basketball: Tower Hamlets Ravens’ coach Albert Ziwa ‘proud’ of squad after gruelling weekend of fixtures
Tower Hamlets Ravens' under-16 girls look to find the basketball at the weekend (pic: Community Basketball League). - Credit: Archant
The under-16 girls and under-14 boys both continued their development on Sunday with encouraging performances against rival clubs
Tower Hamlets Ravens' under-16 girls in action at the weekend (pic: Community Basketball League). - Credit: Archant
Tower Hamlets Ravens’ first full basketball season continued over the weekend, with another string of eye-catching performances.
The Ravens project, developed by the Tower Hamlets Youth Sport Foundation through Basketball Development Officer and former National League player Albert Ziwa, was created to address the lack of structured opportunities for young people in the Borough to play the sport at either a competitive or elite level.
The Ravens’ U16 Girls Team are competing in the tough CBL girls U18 league and Sunday saw a gruelling three back-to-back fixtures take place.
In the first game, the Ravens created a hatful of opportunities against the Kennington Generals, but were unable to convert and eventually went down 30-8.
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The girls adjusted their sights for the second match though and came away with a thrilling one point victory in overtime against the same opponents.
A third game in a row saw the U16 girls take on Wandsworth Wolves and Cazzie Fontanos (Sir John Cass) and Kamaria Baker-Martin (Bishop Challoner) lifted the team to take an early lead.
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Fatigue then unfortunately hit and Wandsworth ran riot in the second half to take the game 45-17.
But Ravens coach Albert Ziwa said: “These girls really showed heart. Playing three games consecutively is not easy and they just got on with it.
“I’m very happy with their performance and even more pleased to see the girls claim a victory despite us being such a young team and this being our first season.”
Tower Hamlets Ravens' under-16 girls in action at the weekend (pic: Community Basketball League). - Credit: Archant
The boys U14 team also continue to win admirers in their debut National League season, this time travelling to North London to face the Islington Panthers.
Right from the start the Ravens went into attack mode with Bishop Challoner student Andre Parker impressing once again.
The Ravens led early on, but by the half the Panthers managed to even up the score to set up an intriguing final two quarters.
The third was a back and forth battle seeing the lead change hands multiple times, but as fatigue hit the smaller and less experienced Ravens squad, the Panthers exerted their dominance and ran out comfortable winners 81-65.
Anyone interested in playing basketball in Tower Hamlets should contact Basketball Development Officer Albert Ziwa: albert.ziwa@thysf.org.
