U-13 B settle for third spot

Oaklands Wolves players continue to dominate for Herts as the East Region tournaments remain in full swing.

The St Albans club provided nine of the 12 players for the U-13 side as they finished third in the B team tournament in Ipswich, on Saturday.

Zachary Oladbode scored six of the first eight points as Herts made a good start against hosts Suffolk, before Alex Cofone took over to pour in 15 points in a 64-16 victory.

The second game proved to be a heartbreaker for Graham Roberts' side as they went down 32-30 against eventual winners, and a tired looking Herts team were denied runners-up spot as they lost 35-20 against Cambs.

Jacob Coyne collected the Sportsmanship award, with Oladbode also being named in the top three, while Cofone was named in the all-star five.

Oaklands Wolves players continue to dominate for Herts as the East Region basketball tournaments remain in full swing.

The St Albans club provided nine of the 12 players for the U-13 side as they finished third in the B team tournament in Ipswich, on Saturday.

Zachary Oladbode scored six of the first eight points as Herts made a good start against hosts Suffolk, before Alex Cofone took over to pour in 15 points in a 64-16 victory.

The second game proved to be a heartbreaker for Graham Roberts' side as they went down 32-30 against eventual winners, and a tired looking Herts team were denied runners-up spot as they lost 35-20 against Cambs.

Jacob Coyne collected the Sportsmanship award, with Oladbode also being named in the top three, while Cofone was named in the all-star five.

Wolves at the double for Herts

Wolves provided 20 of the 24 players as Herts Country completed a East Region double at under-13 level on Sunday.

The St Albans club had ten of the 12 players in both teams as well as the coaching staff, with Herts winning all seven games to lift both trophies.

They also had both MVPs, with Jane Yu collecting the girls' trophy and Jacob Edrupt won the boys' title. Daisy Golan and Fin Carey were named in their tournament all-star fives  as Herts made it three wins from five county tournaments so far this season, having finished runners-up in the other two.

For several of the girls it was a case of going one better than the previous weekend where they'd helped the U-15 finish second. Coached by George Walker and Caitlin Ryan, Wolves had the hardest schedule as they played in the first four games of a five-team tournament, and were able to sit out the fifth set of games knowing they were already champions.

The first game turned out to be the decider as Herts edged out Essex 26-25 despite scoring just 10 points in the first half, Yu scoring her tenth and final point to secure the win.

A 16-2 first period set Herts on their

way to a comfortable 49-18 victory against Suffolk in the second game, with Yu scoring 21 points and Grace Betteridge adding ten. 

Another good start in the fourth game saw Norfolk out-scored14-4, and after two tight middle quarters, Herts wrapped up the win with a 12-6 final period to complete a 34-16 victory before Cambridgeshire were beaten 37-24 to give Herts the title.

The boys swiftly picked up where the girls left off as they never looked back after a 12-2 start on the way to a 50-18 victory against Cambridgeshire. Carey led the way with a 14 point, 13 rebound double-double, adding four steals, while Edrupt had 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and as many assists.

With no semi-finals, the final group game saw Herts face Essex, with the winner progressing to the final, and it was Herts who finished strongly to win 37-26.

Essex were held scoreless in the first period as Herts opened a seven point advantage but it was tied at 13-13 going into half-time before Essex edged the third period 10-9 to lead by one heading into the final break. The fourth quarter belonged to Herts, though, as they tightened their defence and scored in transition to outscore their opponents 15-3 to reach the title game. 

Edrupt finished with with ten points, seven boards and three steals, while Rocky Starr also had ten points, adding three rebounds and as many assists.

Hosts Bedfordshire awaited Graham Roberts'  and Walker's team in the final. It was another tight game, with Harry Regan's buzzer beater giving Herts and two point lead, and they pulled away to take a 33-26 advantage into the final break.

But Beds replied with nine unanswered points before a couple of big baskets from Edrupt turned the game in the visitors' favour and they held their nerve down to stretch to win the game 41-35 and retain the trophy

Edrupt again led Herts with 20 points, adding six rebounds, with Starr again finishing with ten points and coming up with five steals. 

Wolves also provided seven players for Herts as they finished runners-up to Essex in Saturday's U-15 boys B tournament in Huntingdon.

Herts defeated hosts Cambridgeshire 56-34 in the first game of the four-team tournament and then and then hammered Suffolk 64-30 in the second game. With Herts due to meet Essex in both the final group stage game and the final, the former game was surprisingly cancelled, and after a good start to the title game Herts faded in the final period to lose 51-43.

Titouan Vimeux and Max Plagermann were named in the all-tournament five. 

Wolves girls star for Herts

Oaklands Wolves provided the bulk of the Herte U-15 Girls team that reached the East Region final, on Saturday.

Eight of the ten Wolves players are still eligible for next season's competition where they will hope to go one better and win the competition, and the only player who didn't represent the St Albans-based club this season due to join them for the 2024/25 campaign.

Playing on their home court, Herts won a thriller 25-22 against Bedfordshire to open the competition, Eunice Wong draining a game-sealing three as she led the hosts with 11 points in the 32-minute, running clock game.

With Bedfordshire comfortably beating Suffolk, Herts needed to win their final group game against Suffolk to seal a place in the final. It proved to be another close game as Chloe Chan's late bucket proved to be the  difference as Herts edged a 37-35 victory. Wong finished with 12 points, with Jane Yu adding six and Daisy Golan and Olivia Akers scoring four apiece.

The final against a taller, more athletic, Essex side proved to be a step too far for the young Herts team. The visitors never looked back after a 12-0 first period, running out comfortable winners 38-19 winners with Yu with Yu scoring 11 points and Wong six.

Wolves also provided Otis Lau-Johnston and Ricky Amrania from their 2023/24 U-16 squad as they produced a dominant display to win the boys' competition. 

Lau-Johnston scored six points as Herts opened the tournament with a 52-18 hammering of Cambridgeshire. The Wolves point guard then opened the scoring as Herts clinched a place in the final with a 61-14 victory Norfolk.

Surprise package Bedfordshire awaited Herts in the final and the hosts never looked in trouble as they wracked up a 44-22 to clinch the title.  

Wong and Yu were named in the girls' all-star team, while Gaurie Kohli won the girls' sportsmanship award with Lau-Johnston named in the boys' sportsmanship team.