Ahead of June’s European Championship, FIMBA GB+60 Women have received a welcome boost from the UK and Ireland division of global basketball specialists, Molten.
Molten’s UK & Ireland Brand Manager, Paul Reaney visited during a recent training session to present the group with a batch of Molten BG4500 matchballs –the same ball used in major European competition and the British and Ireland Basketball Leagues.
The 18-strong squad, whose ages range from 60-73, is currently in training for the European Championship, which will take place in Pesaro, Italy in June. Team GB is looking to improve on the bronze medal they won in Portugal in 2023 and is also hoping to compete in the bi-annual World Championships in Switzerland, in 2025.
THREE YEAR DEAL IS MOLTEN’S LARGEST INVESTMENT INTO BRITISH BASKETBALL AS POPULARITY OF THE GAME CONTINUES TO RISE
Molten and The British Basketball League are delighted to announce that Molten will continue their partnership as official ball supplier of the Men’s and Women’s British Basketball League. The deal is the most lucrative investment Molten have placed into the British game, which will see their high quality basketballs continue to be used throughout the League for at least the next three years. With a month of the
Basketball Ireland and Molten have agreed a four-year partnership extension which will see Molten continue as ‘Official Ball Supplier’ in Ireland until at least 2027.
Molten Brand Manager for the United Kingdom and Ireland, Paul Reaney, noted:
The BBL and WBBL’s show-stopping marquee event at London’s O2 Arena took place over the weekend, with the very best male and female basketball players fighting it out to take home the BBL Play-offs title.
In the BBL final, the perennial favourites Leicester Riders took on the reigning BBL Trophy winners, the London City Royals. It was familiar territory for the defending-champion Riders who reached their sixth final in eight years.
The Riders came flying out of the gates to take an early eight-point lead at the end of the first quarter but the Royals fought hard in the second quarter to keep the gap the same, with both sides picking up 21 points in the quarter.
One of British Basketball’s biggest weekends lived up to the billing this past weekend as the BBL and WBBL Trophy finalists tipped off in Glasgow.
The BBL final saw an all-London showdown between the Royals and the Lions, with the Royals aiming to create history by winning silverware in their maiden BBL season. Meanwhile, the Lions were hoping to add to their BBL trophy collection having already won the Cup earlier this year.
Matthew Bryan-Amaning led the Royals' scoring with 26 points and Ashley Hamilton added 25 points in the first final to go to overtime in BBL history. Justin Robinson led the Lions with 20 points and Ladarius Tabb and Brandon Peel added 17 points each.
The Europa League Round of 16 kicked off last night, delivering drama of the highest quality for the two remaining British teams.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal have made it to this point of the competition at a relative canter, but with the competition kicking up a notch, surprise results can often be the flavour of the day.
Arsenal compounded that theory with a shock defeat to French side Rennes, who currently lie 10th in Ligue 1. Despite taking the lead through Alex Iwobi early in the first half, Sokratis Papastathopoulos’ dismissal following a second yellow card invited a wave a attack from the French side, culminating in an equalising goal for Benjamin Bourigeaud
An action-packed day of basketball saw a new BBL and WBBL Cup Winner crowned in a couple of thrilling contests, displaying the best of British Basketball.
BBL Cup Final
The London Lions roared home in the BBL Cup Final at Arena Birmingham to clinch the trophy for the first time in 8 years.
The Lions were in control throughout the match, outscoring the Glasgow Rocks in each quarter before eventually running out 68-54 winners, thanks in large part to Brandon Peel’s MVP performance which included 21 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists.
The final score-line was the lowest-scoring in the
Despite the frosty weather, things are beginning to heat up in the Europa League for three British teams.
Last night signalled the end of the group stages, with only Arsenal coming away with a victory having already secured progression through to the knock-out stages.
Perhaps the most fortunate team to make their way to the last-32 was Celtic, who qualified despite a loss to FC Red Bull Salzburg thanks to a shock result that saw Norwegian side Rosenborg draw with RB Leipzig in Germany.
The Scottish Champions fell behind after two goals in 10 minutes in the second half which had most of Celtic’s supporters resigned to the realisation that their European journey was over.
It was another fantastic night for British teams in the Europa League with all four teams still in the running to make it to the knockout stages of the competition.
Chelsea romped home with a resounding 4-0 win to extend their lead at the top of Group L to nine points with one game to go in the group stages of the competition.
Olivier Giroud set the tone with two first-half goals for the Blues after PAOK Salonika were reduced to 10 men when Yeven Khacheridi was shown a straight red card in the seventh minute for denying Giroud a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Callum Hudson-Odoi compounded PAOK’s problems with his first senior goal for the club on the hour mark to extend Chelea’s
The Riders came flying out of the gates to take an early eight-point lead at the end of the first quarter but the Royals fought hard in the second quarter to keep the gap the same, with both sides picking up 21 points in the quarter.
Arsenal compounded that theory with a shock defeat to French side Rennes,
The Lions were in control throughout the match, outscoring the Glasgow Rocks in each quarter before eventually running out 68-54 winners, thanks in large part to Brandon Peel’s MVP performance which included 21 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists.
Olivier Giroud set the tone with two first-half goals for the Blues after PAOK Salonika were reduced to 10 men when Yeven Khacheridi was shown a straight red card in the seventh minute for denying Giroud a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
