Category: Elite U18

Crest Academy Joins the London Elite Academy Family


We are excited to announce that Crest Academy is now officially part of the London Elite Academy. This collaboration, which began two years ago, has already yielded remarkable success. Under the guidance of Coach Kelson Dickson and Coach Afiz (Way2Work Crest Academy played a pivotal role in taking our U18 team to the National League final and securing the National Cup, marking the first-ever national trophy for London Elite.


Crest Academy has rapidly become one of the top academies in London, if not the entire UK, thanks to coach Kelson and Coach Afiz (Way2Work) leadership. Moving forward, London Elite and Crest Academy will work hand in hand to deliver a dominant U18 team. Crest Academy’s participation in Tier 2 is a fantastic addition to our current partnerships with Harris Lowe and West London College, collectively forming an outstanding provision for London Elite’s U18 program.

[Quote from Coach Kelson. “I am excited about the partnership between London Elite and Crest Academy. Two provisions that have a player-centred approach and believe in the development and maturation of players. Having worked with coach Daniel before for a number of years and having numerous successes through those years, it felt right to continue to merge our strengths for the betterment of our players. Players now can compete at a high level with many different avenues open to them to grow and develop

This exciting new chapter promises to elevate our U18 team to even greater success. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build a powerhouse in youth basketball.
See the link below for applications. https://forms.office.com/e/JHt9hBtyPc

This is an opportunity not to be missed! If more info is required, don’t hesitate to get in touch with [email protected] or 07453314867.

London Elite Announces Exciting Partnership with Italian Powerhouse Stella Azzurra

London Elite Basketball Club is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Stella Azzurra, a storied basketball club based in the heart of Rome, Italy. Founded in 1938, Stella Azzurra boasts a rich history of producing NBA players and clinching multiple national championships. In 2018, they were the runners-up in the Euroleague Next Generation Tournament, further solidifying their status as one of Europe’s premier basketball clubs.


London Elite, known for its vibrant presence in the UK basketball scene, has already established itself as a trustworthy partner through its numerous national and EYBL titles in recent years. The seeds of this partnership were sown when the General Managers of both clubs, Daniel Szatkowski and Patricio Prato, met during the EYBL U15 stage hosted by Stella Azzurra in Rome.

Reflecting on the encounter, Daniel Szatkowski remarked, “Visiting beautiful Rome and meeting such great people while taking part in a tournament organized to the highest standard, it was a no-brainer that Stella Azzurra is the ideal partner for London Elite.”

The first step in this exciting partnership is a player exchange program, allowing talented athletes from both clubs to participate in each other’s basketball programs. Daniel Olusanya, a promising guard recently selected for the England U15 camp, has already benefited from this collaboration by joining Stella Azzurra for their tournament in Athens, Greece.

Looking ahead, London Elite is planning an eight-day preseason camp in the capital of Italy, where teams will have access to Stella Azzurra’s renowned coaching staff and facilities. This invaluable opportunity will also include friendly matches against top-tier teams, with the added highlight of London Elite’s U18s facing off against an NCAA team with the assistance of Stella Azzurra.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the partnership, Stella Azzurra’GM Patricio Prato stated,“We are very exited in partnering with such a fast growing organization like London Elite, enabling players and teams to have new and enriching experiences. This alliance will propel both clubs to the future”

London Elite is committed to providing regular updates on this dynamic partnership, as it promises to be mutually beneficial for both clubs. Stay tuned as we embark on this exciting journey together, uniting the best of British and Italian basketball talent.

THE YEAR 2023 SUMMARY

Year 2023 – A Remarkable Chapter in Our 4-Year Journey

As we bid farewell to 2023, a year etched in the annals of our club’s history, we reflect upon the incredible milestones that have made it arguably the most successful in our four-year journey.

National League Triumphs:
The year kicked off with resounding success as our U18 squad secured a coveted spot in the National Cup final after a fierce battle against Milton Keynes. Facing the London Legends in a thrilling final played in Manchester, our boys emerged victorious, clinching the title of National Champions. Simultaneously, our Division 2 side, under the guidance of Coach Daniel Szatkowski, achieved promotion to Basketball England’s top tier – Division 1.

Our talented junior teams continued the winning streak, with two squads making it to the Final Four event in Manchester. The U14s and U18s showcased their prowess, promising a formidable future for our club.

In the realm of girls’ basketball, our debut season in the National League saw our young squad earning promotion to the U16 South Premier League, marking a monumental achievement for our girls’ side.

EYBL Campaign:
Our foray into the European Youth Basketball League (EYBL) was nothing short of spectacular. The U20 team, under the strategic leadership of Oskar Striuga, embarked on a journey to Levice, Slovakia. The team exhibited commendable resilience against top-tier opponents, ultimately securing a remarkable 7th-place finish.

On the other side of the spectrum, our U13 squad, masterfully guided by Coach M. McKelvey, ventured to Budapest, Hungary. Displaying an upward trajectory in skill and passion, our young players faced off against formidable teams from across Europe. With standout performances from L. Bowman, D. Onuoha, and Z. Milovidov, the unthinkable was achieved – the U13 EYBL CHAMPIONSHIP! This triumph not only resonates within our club but also echoes across the European basketball community, marking a historic milestone for our organization.

Individual Achievements:
Our commitment to player development was further exemplified by numerous call-ups to represent London and the UK. Standout players such as Kaya Birsen, Ata Charles,E. Ahamefule, S. Emanelo, L. Campbell, and N. Djanogly earned spots in various national teams during the Euro Campaign 2023.

As the summer unfolded, our players garnered attention from programs worldwide, receiving offers from renowned institutions such as Jefferson College ( Devonte Sanusi), Adam’s University Philippines ( RJ SanDiego), Florida Coastal Prep ( Elise Guede), LA Sierra ( Jonah Bediako), Western Texas ( Liam Campbell), Strength and Motion Prep ( Hunter Kelleher), and Brewster Academy ( Nathaniel Djanogly).

A Glimpse into 2024:
As we celebrate the successes of 2023, we eagerly anticipate an even more remarkable 2024. The foundation has been set, and with unwavering dedication, we are poised for greater achievements, both on and off the court.

Cheers to a stellar 2023, and here’s to an even brighter 2024!

EYBL Superfinal Places Confirmed!

London Elite is thrilled to announce that our U13 and U20 squads have been invited to the prestigious European Youth Basketball League Superfinal – a fantastic achievement for our young Club! Shortly after attending our first ever Junior NBL Final Four event, and as we prepared to settle down for the off-season, we find ourselves focusing on the European campaign again!

The European Youth Basketball League (EYBL) is one of the most competitive leagues in Europe, providing a unique opportunity for our players to showcase their talents against the best players in Europe. Watched by scouts from across the globe, the EYBL often provides a springboard for talented young players to enter high-profile basketball programmes.

Our U20 Team return to the historic Town of Levice in Slovakia on 18th May, facing established basketball clubs including Slovakia Select, Dinamo Bucharest, and USK Prague. The Team will hope to build on their EYBL performances here earlier in the year, finishing with a 2-2 record. Led by Coach Daniel Szatkowski, the Team has been working hard, undertaking additional intensive preparation to ensure they maximise their potential in Slovakia. Coach Daniel said:  

‘This is a truly remarkable achievement for London Elite. The EYBL campaign has been extremely valuable for all of our teams, and to reach the Superfinal stage demonstrates how our Club is growing from strength to strength. Top 8 in an U20 league is a big achievement in itself, but I truly believe that with the players we are adding for this stage, we can make a big impact in the Superfinal.’

Our U13 squad return to the Hungarian Capital of Budapest on 19th June. The U13s represent one of the most exciting projects in the club, finishing the previous EYBL stage with 3 wins. Led by Quentin McKelvey (26.8 points per game), and Aleksandar Milovidov (11 rebounds per game), they will be full of confidence as they face the likes of Pamukspor SK, Budapest Select, and Alpha Basketball Sibiu.

Alongside this great news, we are delighted to announce that Coach Miguel McKelvey will take over the reins of our U14 Prem squad next season, replacing Coach Alek who has made the decision to step-down. Coach Miguel is a NCAA D1 Oregon Graduate and brings a real depth of knowledge to our talented side.  Coach Miguel said:

‘I am truly honoured by the opportunity to coach London Elite’s U14 team. We have a great group of young players with both exceptional talent and outstanding character. All of the players and coaches are excited about going to Budapest for the 3rd time this season – the EYBL has been a great opportunity to learn and grow as a team, and the Superfinal will be a springboard for our rising U13s as they prepare for U14 Prem next season.’

Look out on our social media channels for regular updates on each Team’s progress in the Superfinals.

First Junior Final Fours in books!

Not many people would believe after only the first-ever season in Premier competition, London Elite would break into the most prestigious junior competition in UK. Joining well-established basketball programs seemed like an impossible goal to have.

Hundreds hours of training, countless miles to the away games, tones of emotions, dozens of won games and our dream has come true. Our talented U14 and U18 squads have booked a place at a highly anticipated event in Manchester.

U18’s

Our oldest junior team went through really competitive Playoff rounds before reaching semi-final match-up vs London rivals CoLA. In the first round of the playoffs, our home venue Capital City was visited by Manchester Giants team which provided a tough match up for our boys. U18’s closed the game in great fashion and secured a quarter-final game vs Myerscough.

North England based squad is part of EABL academy and has plenty of talented players. Our quarterfinal game went back and forth with no side taking clear lead and overtime was needed to see any side claiming the win. Our u18’s supported by 200+ spectators achieved the unbelieve goal of winning a game by only 2 points behind perfectly executed play at the end of the game. A great pass by Omon Arifkhanov set Hunter Kelleher for an open 3. Hunter did not hesitate and Hunter did not let his team down. Perfect 3-point shot will be forever key highlight for our U18 campaign. The final fours ticket was booked in heroic circumstances.

Semifinal match-up saw our U18 squad face South London Rivals, City of London Academy. In a low scoring affair, it was our team that held nerves and claimed an important win which meant that Grand Final against Manchester Magic was set. With over 1000 spectators watching this clash live, it was obvious it is one of the most electric clashes possible. Top players, programs and coaches on display. Game started in our favour however hot handed host came back and controlled the game within 10 point lead though out 2nd and 3rd quarter however our London boys never gave up and fought bravely back bringing the game to 3 points difference with 3 mins on the clock. Despite a great fight, it was North England side that sealed the game and claimed the championship on that fantastic night in Manchester.

Our U18’s squad in first-ever Juniors Final Fours has claimed 2nd place. This was added on top of U18 National Cup won In January.  Head Coach Kieran Matthews said: “ Such a fantastic journey did not finish the way we wanted. However the final game was a testimony of what London Elite club has become. Even though we did not win the championship, our boys won National Cup and were Runner up in National League. They made the whole club proud.

Before the season started last August 2022, it was hard to imagine we would be one of the four top teams in the United Kingdom by April 2023.  Big congratulations to Hunter Kelleher for being named as an All Star 5 for the whole Final Four tournament!

U14 Head Coach Alek Blagoevski-Trazoff “Our U14 team had just gotten promoted from the Conference to the Premier Division in the summer of 2022 when I took over the reins. We were a part of the most competitive conference (SouthWest) and had the last year’s champions to compete with. However, we started the pre-season preparations ahead of time and we set the bar high in terms of the process goals we wanted to achieve. We also had a very talented group of kids to begin with, including U14 England national team member Kaya Birsen and Aspire program members Daniel Olusanya, Quentin McKelvey and Nicholas Ferrari.”

The team was fortunate to have an Aspire program member, a fantastic leader, Mamba mentality and your next CEO Ata Charles Refiogly join in the off-season, which was one of the critical pieces for our success. At that time, we formed the base of success for the next year, including internationals Alexander Milovidov and Omer Zardok Shemer. We were very fortunate to add key pieces later on during the season, including Berkay Adala and Niko Sagiryan. By the end of the season, I was referring to this team as the “UN team”, given that we had so many different nationalities on the team – players, parents and coaches.

The season was fairly long and gruelling. We faced many challenges.  Our conference did have some of the best players and coaches in the country, and they stepped up to the challenge as well. We had one overtime, one double overtime game, and one game where the refs left the game – all of them away!!! Particularly at the end of the season, we had several setbacks with injuries to key players and emotional rollercoaster games, which all took a toll on the team.

Frankly – all of those challenges made us come together as a family and a community and made the trip to the Junior Final Foul (JFF) a very much deserved reward for all the sacrifices and hard work.

This success would not have been possible without the generous support from the club, all the parents and players. In particular:

— Club Director and JFF Assistant Coach – Daniel Szatkowski — thank you for the amazing opportunity to be the Head Coach this year!

— my assistant coach Miguel McKelvey — thank you for disagreeing with me so often. It made me a much better coach! You know I appreciated it then and will forever remember them. I am sure there were many other ways in which you supported the club, for which I am also very grateful!

— Onur Birsen — parent, recruiter and website master extraordinaire — your overall efforts with recruitment and thoughtful comments on strategy were an indispensable part of the success!

— Charlie and Kate Addison – all the video and statistical analysis made the coaching work so much more focused!

— Nadia Refioglu – for trusting me as a coach and supporting Ata so much, including driving an untold number of miles and being stuck in traffic in the last 8 months…

“Even though we ended the season in fourth place in the JFF after losses in two very close games, this season has been nothing short of phenomenal, given this was the London Elite U14 Boys Premier first time competing at this level. Almost half the team who went to the event this year is coming back next year, and they experienced the incredible intensity and energy in Manchester! They all know the amount of work and dedication required to succeed at the highest level.”

“With an amazing selection of new talented kids who have already indicated they are joining the team and a great new Head Coach, I have no doubt they will be very competitive next season as well. I am certain the team will be back even stronger and better prepared for a Junior Final Four run in April 2024. Watch this space…”

Big congratulations to Daniel Olusanya for making tournament All Star 5!


As they say in the Foreign Service – this is not a goodbye, but a “see you soon”…

3 DAYS, 4 COUNTRIES, 23 GAMES – 1 CLUB.

Yes, you read it right – on the weekend of 4th – 5th February, London Elite Basketball Club played 23 games across 4 different countries.

Our recent Sure Shoot U18 National Cup victory is still fresh in the mind, but for the players and coaches there has been little time to celebrate. With the National League season in full swing and preparation for the Play-Offs underway, the hard work never stops!

The Club is always seeking unique opportunities for our players’ development, and this season we entered Teams in four different age groups to the prestigious European Youth Basketball League (EYBL). The EYBL includes 175+ Teams, allowing our players to test themselves against the best young talent in Europe.  Teams are required to travel twice each season and for the first time, we embarked on three separate European trips in the same weekend:

Our U13 Team flew to the Hungarian capital of Budapest looking to build on their EYBL Stage 1 performances (2-2 record, with Quentin McKelvey voted into the All-Star 5). They didn’t disappoint, achieving an improved 3-1 record that included a fairy-tale win against previously undefeated Serbian club, KK Borac Zemun. Despite being down by 17 points in the game, our boys fought back to secure an important 79-77 victory. Special congratulations to Omer Zardok-Shemer (awarded Team MVP), and Quentin McKelvey (averaged 26.8 points per game, and once again voted to the All Star 5).

Our U17 squad flew to the small town of Ploesti in Romania, where they sought to banish memories of EYBL Stage 1 (1-3 record).

 Our squad looked strong with Star Point Guard Connor James continuing his great EYBL season (24.4 points per game, 2nd overall in EYBL), and the valuable addition of Sebastien Emanelo (22 points per game, 5th overall in EYBL).

Despite tough opening games, the boys fought back to finish Stage 2 with a hard-fought win over Inter Bratislava. Congratulations to Connor and Sebastien who were awarded joint Team MVP.

Our U20 squad (Elite’s oldest Junior Team) headed to the historical town of Levice in Slovakia. Led by coach Kelson, the Team had a point to prove in the EYBL, one of Europe’s most hotly contested U20 competitions.

The tournament started with marginal losses to Orange Lions Academy of Amsterdam and host team SBKL Junior Levice, but our boys showed real resilience to claim back-to-back wins on day 2 and finish with a respectable 2-2 record.

Congratulations to Muddathir Bashir who recorded 10.8 points/8.8 rebounds per game and was voted Team MVP.

Back home our National League season is gathering pace and we are grateful to those coaches who did not travel – they had the tough task of covering multiple fixtures across all of our age groups. 

This weekend represented a true milestone in London Elite’s history, demonstrating the huge growth we have achieved since our inception in 2019. Thank you to our London Elite Family – Coaches, players and parents who all played their part in making this momentous weekend happen!

The Sure Shot U18 National Cup belongs to London Elite!

London Elite’s U18 squad have made club history by securing our first National Title.

The Team battled their way to the Final with a series of hard-fought wins over Bracknell Cobras II (129-32), Brighton Cougars (105-51), Reading Rockets (98-79), Solent Kestrels (91-80), Bracknell Cobras (94-86) and Milton Keynes Breakers (89-82). All of the boys showed great dedication throughout the journey, enduring long trips on the motorway, and often playing double-headers across the weekend.

The Final took place on the 22nd of January at Manchester’s National Basketball Performance Centre, with the boys squaring up against local rivals London Legends – an experienced and high-performing team that we know well.

A slow start saw London Legends jump to a 7-0 lead, but the Team responded quickly, with Kelleher and Arifkhanov regaining control of the game and establishing a 15-11 lead by the end of the 1st Quarter.

The 2nd Quarter saw Campbell and Kelleher put on a show and widen our lead to 10 points by half-time. The Team refused to slow down, continuously extending our lead throughout the 2nd half, and finally securing the National Cup with a resounding 70-53 win.

The London Elite Family is proud of all our boys, with special congratulations to Hunter Kelleher (recording a double-double in the first half), and Liam Campbell (named finals MVP).

Liam Campbell was selected Finals MVP

U18’s Head coach Kieran Matthews said: “All the guys really did a great job, everyone got on the court, played their role and helped secure this championship. I’m really proud of all the guys and the monumental impact they have had on the growth of the program as a whole.

The boys did a great job of controlling the controllables, which when mixed with their desire to win, really made the difference.” (LE had a total of 81 rebounds compared to Legends 47).

Visit our YouTube channel to see what happened behind the scenes, and enjoy the fairytale journey one more time:

(578) LONDON ELITE vs LONDON LEGENDS | Sure Shot U18 2022/2023 Men’s National Cup Final – The Story – YouTube

London Elite VS London Legends

Gniezno, Thank You!

Thank you. This is the first thought that comes to our mind when we look back on a recent trip to Poland for the Gniezno cup. We could not be luckier to be able to travel across the continent to take part in one of the biggest youth basketball festivals in Europe. Despite the fact that taking 34 teenagers for 5 days in Poland could be a very difficult logistic task, our coaches stood up to the challenge and made this trip happen. And what trip that was! Watching players bond, support each other, making life friendships while doing what they do best, playing basketball.

Having arrived on Thursday 30th June, our players checked in to a very nice Hotel and after a few hours set off for their shooting session. Friday morning saw our teams starting their tournament.

U15 boys started their tournament with a convincing victory 50-12 over 3rd Israel team Maccabi Ashod. Not long after the first win our youngest team in this tournament faced the German team White Wings. The good all-team effort saw our boys secure 2nd win of the day with a good win 43-20. Our girl’s team faced MKS Piaseczno from Poland in the first game of the tournament. Despite being close in competition our girls fell to the polish side 24-30. Friday evening saw us playing LA BAsketba Warsaw. Girls started really hot with great shooting from Mila Piscitelli and Elia Ando and controlled the game for majority of game however mistakes towards the end saw our side with a heartbreaking 40-37 loss.

Boys U17 set the tone with a big win over Israel Maccabi Ashod. The game remained close till the mid-3rd quarter when our boys went on a big run and secured a 47-26 win! The same day saw our team face home team MKK Gniezno where our boys fell 58-56 in a very dramatic ending. 3rd game of the day for our oldest squad was what to be possibly the most dramatic game for our club at Gniezno Cup. Very well and physical German side Fortuna Logabirum pushed our boys all the way. very slow start 0-13 put our boys in a difficult situation. But amazing support from Girls and U15 boys plus great coaching tips from coach Kieran and coach Daniel saw our boys improve their game with a great comeback. The late3 shot failed and we were to head to overtime against the German side. Both teams traded baskets but it was our boys holding their nerves and collecting a very important win 58-56. Well done!

Day 2 saw our girls play home side. Our girls stayed within a few points for 3 quarters but the experienced polish team secured 46-26 win with a big run in the 3rd quarter. Our girls never gave up and went into the 4th game with a great attitude and collected the first win over Maccabi Ashod. Girls played really well-organised basketball and sealed 49-26 win. Much deserved for our girl’s side who was improving with every minute of basketball played.

Our U15 boys faced a team that later on won the whole cup, the Latvian side Brivsolis Tukums. The boys went head to head and pushed the Eastern European team all the way but came short and lost 45-53. In late Saturday afternoon, our team faced Maccabi Ashod II in-game that would define 2nd place in their group and the right to compete for 3rd place in Gniezno Cup. A closely contested team saw Coach Mauro DiNunzio’s troops playing possibly best basketball also far and claiming a very important win 53-47! truly amazing to see our boys come together.

U17 team could not allow any more losses if they were thinking about winning Cup. After game vs younger polish side Bombardier Szczecin which our boys won easily 55-18, our team went to play previously undefeated Twarder Pierniki Torun. The level of focus, togetherness and effort was absolutely unmatched and our team secured a convincing 59-31.

Sunday was the final day of competition saw our girls losing to MKS Wroclaw which is one of the better polish U17 teams. Despite the great first half, our girls could not keep up with the well-organised and talented team. In our first-ever international tournament, our girls finished 5th overall but the results do not reflect the progress and quality of basketball our girls played. Really impressive!

Our U15 boys faced Swedish side Trellborg Pirates in a 3rd place game. But this was not our game. fatigue took its toll and despite the fight, our boys fell to Swedes 31-47 but overall finished 4th out of 11. Progress made is unreal, the work coach Mauro did, will bring great fruits to this team. The boys made our club very proud!

Our most experienced side, U17 boys. the team that has swept the EYBL stage. Boys’ team are by far the most improved squad London Elite ever had. The team that despite main player A.Willson being injured, stayed together. The team that CLAIMED 1ST PLACE in a very competitive Gniezno Cup. words can’t describe the feeling coaches, parents and club have just from the reflection of these boys’ journey. Devante Sanusi picked all-tournament MVP after displaying amazing performance throughout all 3 days.

Girls Coach Merlin Piscitelli said: “What an incredible weekend! It was a true honour and pleasure to coach the London Elite U17 girls basketball team this past weekend at an International Basketball tournament in Gniezno, Poland that included 3 London Elite teams. With over 30 kids in total, it was a special bonding trip for the players and allowed them to test their talents against some of the strongest basketball countries in Europe ( and beyond) such as Germany, Latvia, Sweden, Poland, Ireland, Israel and more. As a coach, it was inspiring to watch our kids represent the club, country and city at the highest standard both on and off the court, truly proud to be involved and to be able to give back to the kids and sport of basketball”

Countless memories, 34 players, 15 games, multiple dramatic ends, 3 teams. 1 club. 1 family. Gniezno cup, Thank you and see you next year!

National League season recap

Long awaited, Elite’s first National League season has come to the end. It is truly hard to believe this was a premiere season for us. The whole program success stands as a testimony that the hard work at club foundations pays off. Freezing period during lockdown, gave us time to create strategy how to approach season 21/22 in a best possible way. Along with excitement which was high since , multiple teams were heading towards their first ever season at national league level we coudln’t await the moment of start. Few months later , we come out of very successful Summer 2021 where we collected RBL and CBL championship titles!

U12 Review: Unbelievable Journey.

September 21′ brought lots of questions for our youngest members . Most of players from last year have moved up to U14, some moved from the west London area. This made us think if we should push with the project or simply pull out of National league. At times with less then 5 players in training, it became a challenge and test for us as an organisation. Now looking back we can say that It would have been a massive mistake to pull this team out of NL . Our youngest squad Led by Quinton McKelvey picked couple very talented players on the way and finished 2nd place in league! Journey and testimony for all players and parents involved was indescribable. Currently the future is bright!

Highlights of the year: 2OT win vs Talented Kingston Lions team.https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaM9E0lpAp8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

U14 review: Goals Achieved!

As previously, the stem of the team results lays in our talented players led by young guard Kaya Birsen. Yet again Kaya didn’t disappoint the U14 Elite fans and brought us joy and plenty of great memories with his amazing game. The journey of our young players’ development leads to one conclusion; the coaching and quality structure which London elite offers is the root for our success. Upcoming talents Sam Scott and Aron Okenge will be players to look out for in near future. Our U14 NBL team finished season with record 14-2, claimed the South IV conference championship title and secured a promotion to Premier level of competition next year!

Check out highlights from a key victory this season:(22) London United vs London Elite (NBL U14 Boys 2021/22 Game 2 Highlights) – YouTube

U16I Review: Mission Completed.

After very successful recruiting summer 21′. Our expectations grew big on our upcoming u16 squad. It did not take us long to enter this talented squad into prestigious EYBL. Season started with multiple wins Coach Mauro DiNunzio had lots to look forward to. His troops improved with each week of fixtures and claimed South II conference title behind fantastic 19-1 record! After regular season was finished, Our boys entered promotion play offs where in first round we faced Milton Keynes. Convincing win (79-54) came behind great defensive performance, our squad sealed final where We faced Woking Blackhawks away. As it was last game of the season, our boys came out firing and claimed a Promotion to Western Premier competition with convincing 106-78 victory!

U16II review: Purpose Fulfilled

With numbers constantly going up, we had more then 12 players showing talent good enough for playing at NL level. With placement of U16II into NL, we have invested resources and time which was very beneficial investment for our club . The evident progress made by our team which was mainly year 10 players was really impressive. Team members proved that they deserve to be on A team in upcoming season. Hard work from coach Kieran resulted in team coming to nearly 500 record as they ended up 8-12 in whole campaign! Well done!

U18I Review: Bright Future

After successful summer 21 and securing multiple players with scholarships in USA, We knew that upcoming season will be a tough test. With 90% squad being in first year it suppose to be a learning curve. But it was more then that. Our talented troops led by Oskar Striuga, Anthony Wilson and David Jesubayode, have proven that they are capable of beating any team in their league. Our team came 2nd out 10 and have proven to be a force to look out to in coming season. Eligible players from that squad formed our U17 EYBL team which was capable of sweeping stage in Romania. We can clearly see that right foundation have been laid for next 12 months.

U18II Review: Progress Made.

Do not sleep on this team. Formed with multiple talented U17 players, with whom many travelled with our U17’s team across Europe. It was a big headache in offseason how to classify which player goes to A or B. But we are glad that many players who started off on our second team are now considered strong candidates for our first team in upcoming season. great work by coach Daniel and coach Kieran.

Men’s Review: Undefeated Squad.

There was only one goal for this team. Knowing how much talent, experience and skills we have acquired in last summer, goal could be one. Winning our division 3 league. And team led by coach Sam Stiller did it in perfect way. Going undefeated in whole season shows that there is pure potential is in our men’s section. But best part of it: it is just a beginning! Look out for exciting news coming up in this summer!

Our GM Daniel Szatkowski said: “First ever National League season was a true accomplishment for our program. We have achieved what we set out as a goal. Promotion of 3 out of 4 teams is remarkable achievement. We still have to remember that despite high ambitious, this was our first ever NL campaign. With more fantastic excitement coming to our home, Capital City Academy, we can say one thing. Season 22/23 cannot come any sooner!”

History in the making

4 games. 4 wins. 0 losses. Our U17 squad made history as the first London Elite team to go undefeated at the EYBL stage.

The first stage of the U17 campaign took place in mid-November in Sopron, Hungary. It was the first international tournament for our squad and results did not go the way players wanted, eventually finishing with a 1-3 record. However, the response to these frustrating results could be any better. Countless hours of hard work boys put in helped the team in areas progress was needed.

2nd stage of group A of U17 EYBL was held in the capital of Romania, Bucharest. The first game on Thursday evening saw our team getting first Win against home team Stiinta Bucharest II and provided an opportunity to provide good minutes to every player on the roster. 12 hours later, on Friday early afternoon our Boys versed Moldavian team Admirals Chisinau. the eastern European team has put our boys through a good test however our team continued their good form into game 2 and claimed the second win of the tournament.

3rd game of the tournament gave our boys a chance to face again Turkish side Suadiye which we lost to at stage 1. A game that went back and forth saw our team seal 3rd win of the tournament 71-62 behind 20 points from D.Jesubayode.

The last game of stage 2 provided our team with the toughest test. Facing tough Italian team Kouros Napoli. Led by legendary Italian coach Antonio Petillo. The game started in our favor, with a strong 10 point lead at Half time. However, adjusted defense by the Italian side caused our team to change the style of the game and as a result, Napoli took a 1 point lead halfway through 4th. However, T. Istrefi and A.Wilson’s strong and1 plays secured our side 55-51 win.

This type of performance would not be possible without individual contributions from our talented players. Anthony Wilson was named team MVP. Anthony recorded 11.25 points per game, 9.6 rebounds on efficiency 13.9 per game.

David Jesubayode received a nomination for prestigious All-Star 5 of the tournament behind 14 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, and 3 assists. We cannot miss the contribution from young Conor James who recorded 11.25 points per game.

Our young squad has finished in respected 3rd position out of 11 teams competing in group A of European Youth Basketball League. What an achievement!

Our young squad will look to continue their great performance upon return in UK with last part of National League nad CBL is just ahead.