GB men’s wheelchair basketball team return from successful tour down under
14 August 2009by Stephanie Gagne
The listing was posted by WheelPower - British Wheelchair Sport - News
The GB men’s wheelchair basketball team will return this week from what has been a successful tour in Australia.
After the opening tournament in Sydney where they took bronze, GB went from strength to strength doing the double over the Paralympic silver medallists Canada, and also taking a huge scalp beating the Paralympic Gold medallists Australia, during the Canberra series.
It was a huge upset when the Worlds best went down to GB by 22 points, 82 – 60, it was the first time in four years GB men have beaten the Australians. Unfortunately GB missed out on a clean sweep of their four matches that took place in Canberra, narrowly losing the last match to a rejuvenated Australian side 86 -72.
Whilst in Australia the squad also faced the former World Club Champions, Perth Wheelcats, twice. They finished the tour with a game each, losing the first match to them 74 -51 and beating them in the final match 71 -66.
The tour provided new squad members such as Matt Rollston, Lee Manning and Simon Gibbs a chance to play against the best players in the world. It also saw the emergence of Ian Sagar as a world class player continued with the development of key squad members such as Jon Hall, Abdi Jama, Joe Bestwick and Dan Highcock.
Great Britain coach, Murray Treseder said, “The squad had produced a magnificent performance. The evenness of contribution from a squad without 6 Beijing Paralympians was magnificent. They will take much confidence from defeating a team they had not beaten in the past four years.”
“The team and the individuals in the team has benefited enormously from the arduous 19 day tour against the two best teams in the world. They have been magnificent ambassadors for their country and their sport and have been warmly received and respected wherever they travelled. I have never experienced the closeness that has been achieved on this tour by the playing group.”
Notes to Editors
GB Men’s Squad: Joe Bestwick (Rhinos), Dan Highcock (Vikings), Kevin Hayes (Steelers), Lee Manning (MK Aces), Simon Gibbs (MK Aces), Jon Pollock (Andalucia), Abdi Jama (Rhinos), Simon Brown (MK Aces), Ian Sagar (Oldham Owls), Peter Finbow (Oldham Owls), Jon Hall (Rhinos), Matt Rollston (Knights)
Coach: Murray Treseder, Assistant Coach: Sinclair Thomas, Assistant Coach: Haj Bhania, Mechanic: Paul Pollock, Physio: Michael Stovell