The GB U24’s women’s wheelchair basketball squad have claimed victory in the European Championships in Bordeaux. The bar was set high for GB as the defending Euro champions and current World champions at U25. It is safe to say they did not disappoint.
Showing world class basketball and incredible skill GB remained undefeated with a host of resounding victories seeing them triumph over competitors Germany and France.
The results were as follows:
FRA v GBR: 25-45
GBR v GER: 57-17
GER v GBR: 14-63
GBR v FRA: 53-18
Final: GBR v GER: 48-27
Notably Joy Haizelden collect a treble double (11 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds) and she was named in the tournaments’s All Stars along side teammates Maddie Thompson and Charlotte Moore.
With seven players making their debut there is certainly no shortage of up-and coming talent, which speaks to the success of the development pathway in the UK. The mix of new and senior player has proven a winning recipe. Haizelden commented:
“This tournament saw everyone working together as a team; some of the newer girls being integrated with some of the older ones with more experience which has helped us so much – they are learning from us and we are learning from them as well.”
Head Coach Dan Price added:
“We’ve only been together for a very short amount of time, we still have a lot to learn about one another – we are still very raw but this is just the tip of the iceberg and we are very excited for the journey going forward. We still have a lot of work to do going into World Championships but we are looking forward to getting back to work.”
Roster
Charlotte Moore
Michaela Bell
Adele Atkin
Niamh Horan
Jessica Dowdeswe
Joy Haizeldenl
Siobhan Fitzpatrick
Lucy Robinson
Jade Atkin
Maddie Thompson
Maddison Martin
Anastasia Blease
