Thames Valley Kings first and second teams picked up a memorable doubleheader victory over the Warwickshire Bears 2nd and 3rd teams in British Wheelchair Basketball National League in what will be the last game of the 2019/20 season which has been halted by the Covid-19 outbreak.
In the Division One South game – The first team rallied ahead 24-2 lead in the first quarter as they took control of the game early on with baskets from George Grey, Tom Tobin and Reece and Liam Barker. Kings defence was solid throughout the first half with a deadly Highline defence that pushed Bears out of the paint and resulted in a run of turnovers leading to a 43 point lead at half-time, 50-7.
With an undefeated season in sight, Kings continued the pressure in the second half, as PJ O’Donovan, Chris Nash, Joe Humphreys and Adele Adkin all found themselves on the scoreboard as Kings brushed Bears 2nd team aside to record a 90-17 victory.
In the Division Three Central and South West game, Kings second team started positively as they took an early first-quarter lead, 18-7, as Peter Rapley, Mo Daller, Yas Ibesaine and Joe Humphreys all found the basket, which proved to be the deciding quarter. After the break, the Bears 3rds found composure and the game from the start of the second quarter was evenly matched, as both teams traded baskets in the second to see Kings 2nds lead, 24-11.
A back-and-forth 2nd half followed as both teams were unable to take control the game with both teams defending well, the half saw Corey Bloomfield and Conal O’Donovan adding their names to the score sheet alongside a first national league basket for Kings Junior, Henry Davies.
Kings 2nd team taking the win, 40-25.
With British Wheelchair Basketball taking the difficult decision to cancel all remaining fixtures and competitions of its 2019/20 season. Kings first team will need to apply to the league directly regarding their promotion to the premier league after an undefeated first division season it may be hard for the league to deny them a place and for Kings to bring Premier League wheelchair basketball action to Berkshire in 2020/21 season.
