Changes to annual Home Nations events to boost GB junior challenge
The British Basketball Federation (BBF) has made changes to its annual Four Nations and Tri Nations competitions to help boost Great Britain’s chances of success at the FIBA European Youth Championships.
From 2025, the tournaments will all take place in the summer and run at the following age groups: U14, U15 and U17.
The aim is to identify players earlier and give coaches the opportunity to work with them over a longer period of time.
Fiona Pimblett, BBF Performance Lead, said: “I’m really happy to be collaborating once again with Basketball England, basketballscotland and Basketball Wales to reposition and refresh our tournament schedule in 2025.”
“Not only will it be a brilliant opportunity to see some of the best youth talent we have in Britain, but it will also provide a fantastic opportunity for GB coaches to see players a year before they reach the top of their age group for GB teams.”
The changes also mean an end to clashes with the end of the domestic seasons in England, Scotland and Wales, when the U16 and U18 tournaments traditionally took place.
The BBF’s decision has been backed by the three Home Nations – Scotland, England and Wales, who will stage the U14, U15 and U17 events respectively in 2025.
Steve Bucknall, Head of Talent and Performance at Basketball England, said: “I fully support the strategic adjustments to the Home Nations events, designed to enhance our GB junior teams’ preparation and performance.”
“Shifting the competitions to summer and reconfiguring the age groups allows us crucial extra time to develop and fine tune our athletes’ skills. This alignment with the FIBA European Youth Championships’ cycles is a game-changer. It provides our young talents with a consistent and focused developmental runway, giving them the best possible foundation to excel on the international stage.”
Barry Lang, Head of Performance at basketballscotland, said: “We welcome these age changes to support the GB and Home Nations Youth Pathway. Having the tournaments in the summer will enable more preparation and hopefully entice some of our European neighbours to participate. We look forward to hosting the U14 event in Scotland next year.”
Phil Gordos, Performance Director at Basketball Wales, said: “We’re looking forward to working with the BBF and are partners in England and Scotland to create a GB and Home Nations Youth Pathway that everyone buys into. Giving the GB teams the best chance of performing well at the FIBA European Youth Championships has to be a priority.”
The dates and venues for the 2025 tournaments are as follows:
- U14 (Scotland): 13-15 June, PlaySport, East Kilbride.
- U15 (England): 30 May – 1 June, National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester.
- U17 (Wales): 27-29 June, Archers Arena, Cardiff.
BBF is also exploring the possibility of expanding the competitions to include other nations.
Further information about the 2025 tournaments and the GB player pathway will be made available in due course.
