Met girls make national basketball final

BRISTOL Metropolitan Academy’s Under-16 girls' basketball team made it to a national final for a second year in a row.

Last year the team won the Dynamik National Schools Championships Under-14 title.

This year they made the step up to U16 and, despite being a year younger than many other teams, made it to the final again before losing 75-48 to Trinity High School of Manchester, in front of a crowd including more than 40 Bristol Met students at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester.

The squad of 12 girls trained three times a week, in and out of school, in preparation for the competition.

PE teacher and team coach Hannah Wallace said: “I feel proud of the girls for reaching the National Finals for the second year in a row.

"After winning the U14 competition last year, we went into the U16 league a year young (or in the case of Esma Missaoui, three years young!) and it was always going to be a tough ask to win back-to-back championships.

"The girls battled bravely and tirelessly but it wasn’t to be on this occasion.

"Being one of the last two teams in the country was a huge success in itself, and gave our students an amazing opportunity to play on the home court of British basketball.

"The final was a tough match-up for us, with the opposition getting an early lead and some of our key players getting into foul trouble.

"Angel Whyte was the standout player for