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SPOR 091T Spotlight on…Gabby Nikitinaite
Eighteen-year-old Gabby Nikitinaite from Bromley started playing basketball at the age of 10. Her most recent highlights include winning the Trophy fi nal in Glasgow and the play-off fi nal in the O2 as part of the Sevenoaks Suns. Gabby, who was named the WBBL Young Player of the Year and is off to America in 2018, says: “I’d like to play basketball for as long as possible so I’m hoping for a successful four years at college in the States and then maybe the opportunity to play professionally.”
representatives of Sevenoaks Suns were named by British Basketball amongst a list of players nominated to participate in the initial training camps for the GB national squads ahead of the European Championships starting on 31st August. British Basketball Chief Executive,
Lisa Wainwright, commented: “For the fi rst time, the U16 and U18 teams will be competing in European Championships under a GB banner. The home countries have done their own talent identifi cation processes and nominated a wonderful bunch of young athletes.”
Success for Sevenoaks
And it’s not all happening in big cities either. One of the most successful in the country – certainly as far as the women’s game is concerned – is the Sevenoaks Suns. Founded in 2005, in May this year one of its teams won the WBBL (Women’s British Basketball League) play-off fi nal at the O2 with a victory over hot favourites Nottingham Wildcats. Its head coach is Chicago native Len Busch who found himself in the UK some 20 years ago when his wife was offered a job and he switched coaching and training in New York for a country in which one of America’s leading sports was at an embryonic stage.
ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT MOVES IS CLUBS DECIDING THEY WANT TO OWN THEIR OWN ARENAS
defi nite catalyst for change in basketball, says Bob Hope.
“After London 2012, it was decided there should be a GB team as part of the International Federation. This has represented a major step forward and a cementing of the sport’s presence in this country at development and competition levels.”
For a burgeoning sport there must surely be barriers when it comes to inclusion and participation?
“To be part of the BBL,
which is the only professional league in this country, you have to have a community programme ensuring your club gets into schools and targets other potential markets,” explains Bob. “This is non- negotiable and vital in
encouraging new talent.”
The South
“From a starting point where players and coaches involved in basketball in this part of Kent realised they simply weren’t doing enough to develop talent, I am proud to say Sevenoaks Suns is now one of the leading clubs in the country,” says Len. “Funding is a constant challenge,” he explains. “But we have so much talent and if, like me, you’ve been in professional sport all your life, it’s hard not to do everything in your power to bring that talent to the fore, especially when British basketball really is going into an exciting phase.” Like other sports such as cycling and boxing, the Olympics of 2012 were a
East Basketball Association facilitates the sport across
the region with teams at various age groups put together to enter competitions at
regional and national level. Boys and girls take part in local trials and when the teams are selected they proceed to events in Sheffi eld and Manchester attended by national coaches acting as ‘talent spotters’.
In May this year seven
FACT FILE • The British
Basketball All-Stars
Championships take place at the O2 Arena on 24th
September. Visit
www.axs.com for tickets and further details. • For more information on basketball, visit:
www.bbl.org. uk;
www.sevenoakssuns.com;
www.basketballengland.co.uk;
www.wbbl.org.uk
It runs in the family When it comes to sporting talent, it certainly
runs in the Lewis family from Sevenoaks. Sisters Kaitlyn, 23, Megan, 21, and Ellen, 20, all began their basketball careers with the Sevenoaks Suns, following in the footsteps of mum Kristine who “retired” four years ago. The girls took up basketball between the ages of nine and 11. Kaitlyn continues to play for the Sevenoaks Suns, Megan does college basketball at Bentley University in the USA, and Ellen plays at Bournemouth University. Kristine says: “There are many great things the sport of basketball has given our family. It’s about the friendships you make but it’s also the unusual connection and trust you develop with someone due to the fact that you all share a common goal – to be the best team on the fl oor at the end of the 40 minutes. You learn what it takes to work hard and how to manage time successfully.”
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