Tag: #elitebasketball #londonbasketball #eybl #progress #mindset #grind #coachD #Elite

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.

Back at it

The U15 team is gearing up for an unforgettable journey to Rome from the 7th to the 9th of September to participate in the prestigious EYBL U15 First Stage tournament. Organized by one of Europe’s premier junior clubs, Stella Azzura, this tournament promises fierce competition and unparalleled experiences for our young athletes. The U15 squad is eagerly anticipating this opportunity to showcase their talent on an international stage.

The Schedule:

  • Thursday, September 7th, 7:00 PM (UK Time): Our journey begins with an exciting clash against BC Sibiu from Romania. It’s a prime time match that will set the tone for our campaign in Rome.
  • Friday, September 8th, 10:00 AM (UK Time): On Friday morning, we face off against the formidable Italian side, Unibasket Lanciano. The early kickoff promises an intense battle on the court.
  • Friday, September 8th (Afternoon): After a thrilling morning game, our squad will take a break to explore the enchanting city of Rome. Sightseeing and cultural immersion await as we soak in the beauty of this historic city.
  • Saturday, September 9th, 8:00 AM (UK Time): We return to action early on Saturday morning, facing DEAC Academy from Hungary. The team is determined to bring their A-game and make their mark on the tournament.
  • Saturday, September 9th, 1:00 PM (UK Time): The closing game of this memorable journey takes place against Honved Budapest. The players are ready to leave it all on the court in pursuit of victory.

Meet Coach Dre Andre: We are thrilled to welcome Coach Dre Andre to our coaching squad. With a wealth of experience and enthusiasm, Coach Dre Andre will lead our U15 team during the upcoming season. In his own words, “I’m extremely excited to be joining a continuously improving program and a well-established organization within the community. During our EYBL experience, I aim to provide the players with the correct tools on and off the court to compete at the highest level among Europe’s best. We want to instill a hungry mentality and have a remarkable season in the NBL.”

Stay Connected: We encourage all our supporters to stay connected with us throughout this exciting journey. We will be providing regular updates on our social media channels, so be sure to follow us for behind-the-scenes action, player interviews, and more.

Live Streaming: For those unable to be in Rome, fear not! You can catch all the games live on our YouTube channel. Join us in supporting our boys as they embark on this new EYBL campaign for the 2023-2024 season. Let’s show our unwavering support and cheer them on from wherever you are in the world.

This trip to Rome is not just a basketball tournament; it’s an opportunity for our U15 squad to grow, learn, and make lasting memories. We’re excited to represent our club, our community, and our country on the international stage, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us. Go Elite!

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.

London Elite Welcomes Support of Leading Global Tech Company Datasite

London Elite, a basketball club focused on developing London’s young sporting talent, is delighted to announce its sponsorship by global technology company, Datasite, a leading SaaS provider for the M&A industry.

Datasite regularly supports initiatives that help bring about greater diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in its own business and industry. The company is a visionary sponsor of Exponent Women, an industry organization that is dedicated to giving women dealmakers access to meaningful interactions and educational content. Datasite helps educate and inspire the next generation by enabling its leaders to speak with students at institutions like NYIT in Manhattan and the AFAS in Minneapolis, about technology careers.

Merlin Piscitelli, Chief Revenue Officer for Datasite in Europe, the Middle East and Africa said:

“We at Datasite are passionate about supporting the communities where we live and work and London Elite is an excellent example of a programme that is making a difference in the lives of young adults. Sports equip young people with key skills, like leadership, collaboration, dedication, and camaraderie, that will be crucial to their future success and can open up new avenues of opportunity that might not have been previously available.”

Our Director, Daniel Szatkowski said: “We thank Datasite for its generous support, which will give our kids opportunities both on and off the court, including a chance to compete, gain confidence and skills they can use the rest of their lives. Basketball has the power to change lives and Datasite’s contributions will help our kids understand the importance of hard work and achieving goals. Sports is a great unifier, motivator, and leveler.”

to learn more about Datasite, please visit: www.datasite.com

We will regularly update you on project we run together. There will be real impact on our local community. Exciting times ahead!

WE ARE BACK.

Sixteen full months. Sixteen months of waiting. Probably longest and most difficult time for our club. However the wait is over. We are excited to confirm that in season 2021/22 we will be participating in 3 different age groups of European Youth Basketball League. Our club has entered boys teams into U16, U17 and U20 age groups. EYBL CE has been expanding internationally, providing a good level of competition and great experiences across 21 countries, 100+ teams, with 26 stages annually.

EYBL CE Director Balazs Radics said:” We are happy to welcome London Elite in the European Youth Basketball League again, after working together with Daniel Szatkowski for many years we are looking forward to have his Club competing for EYBL in 2021/22 season.”

Our teams will play in minimum of 2 stages with possibility of 3rd stage of play offs for top 5 teams. In previous years boys came close to play offs stage. This time our squads head into competition after solid period of preparation which allows us believe we will be very competitive on this level. First stage is set to take place in period September 21′- December 21′ with 2nd stage taking place January 22′-February 22′.

Our General Manager Daniel Szatkowski said:” We have missed this competition so much. We play in lots of great leagues however EYBL is a prime competition where boys are able to gain unreplaceable experience playing overseas. Those tournaments are helping our teams mature and develop their pro mindset. News of us returning to this competition is something we have been waiting for. Indeed, we have been longing for..”

Each squad will start preparation in early August to make sure teams are ready for upcoming European campaign. we can confirm that coach Mauro DiNunzio will be in charge of U16, Coach Kieran Matthews will run U17 while Coach Daniel will take our oldest group, U20’s. We will confirm details as soon as hey become available.

Should you be interested in trying out for any of these teams, please contact [email protected] or sent a message to 07453314867.

U20’s EYBL journey in books!

Our U20 squad left UK on 26th of February onroute to Valmiera, Latvia. As a part of European Youth Basketball League our squad completed 3 different tournament, playing overall 15 games against top competitions from 8 different countries.

As our team was formed in late summer, we had little time to prepare, however team made program proud by coming 12 position out of 18 despite injuries problem throughout campaign. Head Coach D.Szatkowski said: “When you look where we were in summer, and were we are now we can clearly see it was a journey to remember. Many players emerged from nowhere and made a statement at highest European level. My vision is to build to for players and help them grow. I am happy that we achieved it despite some results not going our way”

We are proud to see some of our players receiving recognition and being awarded individual awards. Joshua Alimi picked the best player of the team award after completing stage with 13 points per game This is what he had to say: “It was an experience of growth throughout the tournament my teammates put there trust in me, which allowed me to express myself and execute my scoring ability when my team needed me to”

As our top scorer Matthew Disu enjoyed another successful tournament, he has been selected All Star 5 award by the league which is a phenomenal achievement, Matthew said:” Competing in eybl from stage 1 all the way to stage 3 has really changed the way I approach basketball. It showed me that you can’t get anywhere without genuine hard work, preparation and discipline. Playing in EYBL I learnt so much, the things I learnt here has made me a much better player. It helped me understand to play smarter not harder. I appreciate my coach for widening my basketball knowledge and experience by giving me the opportunity to compete against top players in Europe

As this campaign has come to the end, we are already planning season 20/21. Big thanks to Ivan Grotsev for an outstanding work with media. His work was just unbelievable! Stay tuned for upcoming info regarding this fascinating project!

EYBL U20 stage II in books!

Our U20 men’s team flew to Riga, Latvia to take part in second stage of most prestigious youth basketball project, EYBL. As currently this league provides most competitive games available in Europe, we knew we will be facing big challenges.

As boys touched down on thursday morning in cold Latvia, they truly enjoyed day of rest preparing to play on friday first game. In first match of the tournament, boys faced possibly best Latvian team in tournament BC Jugla. However led by K.Kolesnikovas and M.Disu jumped into 8 point lead at HT controlling the game. As Latvian team did not look to give up they made couple of 3’s to claim 1 point lead on 20 seconds to go. However Kevin Kolesnikovas made long range to to put Elite team up and took a charge to claim ball back from opposition.

However in controversial circumstances referees award ball to latvian team at 1.6 second to go. You Jugla team players executed perfect players leading to game winning buzzer beating lay up to claim win against our team. Heart breaking experience for our boys that game was.

In Evening game we faced Ventspils who are currently top 3 teams in EYBL. Our boys failed to execute same defence and let opposition with solid win. Coach Daniel said” i think we were still mentally in first game which hurt us a lot. Its tough start of tournament but i believe boys can do well in next days”

On day 2 of EYBL stage, our boys faced Sandvika team, young swedish team. Our boys hit their lows after dropping first games. It was Swedish side that used our boys struggle and converted in easy comfortable win.

Coach Daniel said:”we had lots of expectation and really after the game hit us hard. I knew i have to pick up boys off the floor and help them to realise how good team we can be. Tough job to do but these boys truly deserve it.

In Second game of the day boys came out of changing rooms as completely different team. Played aggressive defence forcing Liepaja players into turnovers leading to easy lay ups. Led by 22 points from Matthew Disu our team claimed first win of the stage!

In last day of the tournament our side faced currently 2nd sead, leader of EABL, and top division 2 Men’s NBL, Myerscrough. Our boys went out of blocks claiming first half 29-24 behind hot shooting from K.Kolesnikovas and great defensive effort from R.Murray and T.Agbede. However slow 3rd period saw Myscro jumping into 7 point lead before final period. While Opponents were looking to close the game pour boys showed “character never quits” and brough game into 3 point difference with 40 seconds to go behind hot outside shooting from M.Disu. Great team defence forced myscro players into shot clock violation however our boys missed 3 opportunities to level the game and academy from North England escaped with small win.

Rio Murray received team MVP as recognition of his great performances through out a stage. 3rd stage is organised in Valmiera, Latvia at end of February. Please check London Elite TV on instagram for all games highlights!