Basketball
About Basketball
Basketball is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK. Over three million people play basketball in the UK, but exact statistics on numbers are hard to get as a large number of players play ’streetball’. Streetball is an urban form of basketball played on outside courts and in playgrounds.
Basketball was first included in the Olympic Games in 1936. Women’s basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) dropped the distinction between amateur and professional players in 1989, and in 1992, professional players played for the first time in the Olympic Games.
England Basketball is the national governing body for basketball, and following the recent amalgamation of the county senior and youth basketball organisations, BasketballSUSSEX is the constituted county governing body for basketball spanning Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex.
Local Info
BasketballSUSSEX organises local league and cup competitions for junior and senior men, and senior women. A regular league season usually runs from October to April, with League and Cup Finals held at the end of the season in May.
Women and Girls’ Basketball
There are currently four senior women’s clubs registered with BasketballSUSSEX, and all compete in the league and cup competitions. They are:
Brighton Cougars Shooting Stars; Crawley Lightening; Holbrook Allstars (Horsham); University of Brighton South Downs Suns (Eastbourne); Tandridge Stealers, Surrey (Cup only)
Senior Mens Basketball
The following Senior Men’s teams registered with basketballSUSSEX, and all have entered the local league and cup competitions in Sussex for the 2009-10 season.
1066 Conquerors (Battle); Bexhill Giants; Bognor Pirates; Bourne Stars (Eastbourne); Brighton Cougars; Brighton Runnin’ Rebels; Chichester Celtics; Crawley Down; East Grinstead Flyers; Eastbourne Hotshots; Haywards Heath Panthers; Worthing D&D; Worthing Tropics
Junior Basketball
basketballSUSSEX runs youth leagues at a variety of age groups. The following junior clubs are registered with basketballSUSSEX:
Angmering Cobras, Bognor Royals, Bognor Buccaneers, Crawley Cagers, Haywards Heath Eagles, Horsham Hawks, Lewes Flames, Shoreham Sharks, Sussex Downs College, Storrington Slammers and Worthing D & D. Further details avavilable from the basketballSUSSEX Secretary.
Local League Competitions: Fixtures and Results
The BasketballSUSSEX local leagues began the week commencing 5 October 2009.
The Senior Men, Senior Women and Youth league fixtures and results service can be found on League Republic at the following link:
www.basketballsussex.leaguerepublic.com
National and Professional Basketball Competitons
Worthing Thunder Basketball Club operate several teams in the junior and senior National Leagues, and have a senior men’s team competing in the British Basketball League (BBL Further details can be viewed on the club website - www.worthing-thunder.org.uk
Brighton & Sussex University Women’s Basketball Club compete in the England Basketball National League Division 2 competiton, as well as the British Universities and Colleges (BUCS) Basketball Leagues.
County News and Events
Basketball Referee Level 2 Course, 28 February and 14 March 2010 at Holy Trinity School, Crawley. Cost of the course is £40. Application forms can be obtained from Nicky Shaw on toadcottage@talktalk.net
Basketball Table Officials Level 2 Course, 28 February 2010 at Holy Trinity School, Crawley. Cost of the course is £25. Application forms can be obtained from Nicky Shaw on toadcottage@talktalk.net
Deadline for both application forms is 21 February 2010!
Click here to download the latest (January Edition) Sussex Basketball Newsletter! To receive this directly to you inbox please email m.tello@brighton.ac.uk
East Side Hoopz for Girls - 3 v 3 Basketball Tournament, Saturday 13 March 2010 in Eastbourne
Organised by the Southdown Suns Womens Community Basketball Club, this is a basketball trophy competition for U13 and U16 female players in Sussex. It is supported by Sport Unlimited funding as part of the Government’s 5 hour offer of PE and Sport for young people.
The tournament is on Saturday 13 March 2010. It will take place at the University of Brighton Sports Centre in Eastbourne, from 9:30am to 3:30pm for players in school years 6 - 11. There are places for up to 8 teams per age category (maximum of 4 players per team) , and the cost is £5 per player.
The tournament offers a minimum of 3 -6 games depending on entries received; it include shot shot competitions and prizes, plus the final East Side Hoops Trophy Games for the U13 and U16 age categories. The tournament entry deadline is FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2010. Please email smason@brighton.ac.uk for an application form or telephone 01273 642438. The application form has also been sent to Basketball SUSSEX ladies clubs.
New Basketball Sessions in Brighton
Weekly open session, Mondays 5:00-6:00pm at the Brighton Youth Centre for U13s
Weekly open session, Saturdays 11:00am-12:30pm at the Brighton Youth Centre 16-19 year olds
New Falmer High School weekly session as part of extra-curricular sport development for years 7 and 8 on Monday’s 3:15-4:15pm from Monday 23 November 2009. There is also an open session on Tuesday’s at the Manor Gym (Brighton, Whitehawk) from 5:00-6:30pm. For further information, please download this flyer, alternatively you can contact Miguel Tello, Sussex Basketball Development Officer on 07826 526061.
Local Contacts
basketballSUSSEX - Nicky Shaw, Secretary
Email: toadcottage@talktalk.net
Sussex Basketball Development Officer - Miguel Tello: m.tello@brighton.ac.uk Tel: 01273 644129 or 07826 526061
National Contacts
USEFUL WEBSITES
- Basketball 24/7 - www.basketball247.co.uk
- British Basketball League (BBL) - www.bbl.org.uk
- British Performance Basketball - http://www.gameongb.com/
- England Basketball - www.englandbasketball.co.uk
For information on England Basketball’s 10 strategic priorities click here
- FIBA- www.fiba.com
- NBA - www.nba.com
Rules of the Game
The Official Rules and Regulations for men’s and women’s basketball can be found on the FIBA website www.fiba.com, along with further details of Referee Mechanics and Interpretations.
