Basketball players from The Sheffield College have got through to the final of a national league.
A team of 12 players will compete in the College Basketball League Final, organised by Basketball England, after beating their opponents in the semi-finals this month.
The league is aimed at talented players, aged 16 to 19-years-old, who are studying educational basketball programmes at further education colleges and sixth forms.
Brad Connor, Head Coach and Course Leader for the Basketball Elite Performance Level 3 course, The Sheffield College, said: “What an accomplishment to reach the final!
“Huge thanks to our players, our coaching staff and the supporters who’ve been with us all season. Now, it’s time to face New City College and finish what we’ve started.”
The College Basketball League semi-finals were held at The Sheffield College’s City Campus, Granville Road, on 19th March 2025. The final score during the semi-finals was 88-74 with student Kelvin Talbot putting in a standout performance of 29 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks.
Seventeen-year-old Kelvin, who originates from the Turks and Caicos Islands, said: “Reaching the final feels amazing. We’ve worked hard as a team and now it’s all about going the extra mile to beat New City College. We’re ready for the challenge.”
Kelvin added: “The Basketball Elite Performance Level 3 course has taken my game to a whole new level. The training and coaching here have pushed me to improve every day.”
The final takes place at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester on 26th March 2025.
The Basketball Elite Performance Level 3 qualification is a two-year vocational course, equivalent to three A Levels, that combines top level basketball training with sports related studies. Subjects include anatomy, physiology, fitness testing, nutrition and sports psychology.
Talented players are able to complete the qualification whilst continuing to train and play basketball at a high level. The basketball teams are part of the Elite Sports Employer Skills Academy, which is one of the college’s award winning employer skills academies.
Athletes across a range of sports including basketball, football, ice hockey, snooker and swimming are able to take part in competitions whilst completing their studies. Former basketball students from The Sheffield College have gone on to play internationally including via scholarships at universities in the USA.
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Pictured: The Sheffield College basketball team attended the College Basketball League semi-finals. Photo credit: Neil Oxborough
