Sevenoaks Suns made history at the end of April as they won the WBBL Championship for the very first time. Their team defence proving priceless as they shut down Manchester Mystics 44-57 in their final game of the regular season.
Suns captain, Cat Carr, said of her team before the final game: “Nothing changes for us, our preparation remains the same, our philosophy has always been to take everything one game at a time.”
“Every training session we look to challenge ourselves and push each other to get better, no matter what stage of the season we are at. We’ve been able to be successful as a unit because we practice like we play – with a competitive edge.”
Sevenoaks will now attempt to win the double as they make their way to the play off Finals which will be held at The O2 in London on May 20. First they need to beat Nottingham Wildcats in the semi final on Sunday 13 May before heading to the O2 to defend the silverware they won last year.
What an amazing year!
Not only has it been a celebration of the Sevenoaks Suns first WBBL Championship but for one player in particular it has been a monumental season. Chantelle Pressley, a Suns forward, has definitely had a year to remember.
Not only has she become a regular starter for her team, she got a call to represent Team England at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia, where they surpassed all expectations and won Silver. The final taking place against the world number one’s, Australia.
More recently, Chantelle’s season has got increasingly better as she was named in the Molten WBBL All-British Team for 2017-18. This coveted award is voted for by all of the WBBL clubs, meaning that her fellow players have given her this accolade.
The WBBL said of Chantelle: “The forward showed her qualities on the Gold Coast in England’s Commonwealth silver medal success, and was a big factor in Suns winning the title. Pressley recorded a fruitful 12.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, she also grabbed almost 2 steals per outing.
Chantelle will be a key player for her team going into the post season play offs. However, with the likes of Cat Carr, Ta’Yani Clarke, Judit Fritz, Julia Koppl, Renee Busch and Ashleigh Munns by her side, Sevenoaks Suns are always going to give the crowds a fantastic team performance.
Meanwhile…
At the NBA Junior Final Fours at the start of May, Sevenoaks Suns Under 16 Girls won the National Championship once again after tremendous displays against Ipswich and GCA Haringey Angels. The latter being the final which Sevenoaks won 44-60.
Additionally, Asha Andrews was named the 2017/18 ‘U16s MVP’ scoring 18 pts, with five 5 rebounds and five assists in the final.
About the WBBL
The Womens’ British Basketball League (WBBL) was founded in 2014 with the aim of creating a high-quality professional women’s league in the UK.
There are currently 11 franchises in major towns and cities across the nation, although additional teams such as the Essex Rebels are already tipped to take part next season.
Franchise development is at the fore of the league’s strategic intentions, in order to bring top-level basketball to as many people as possible.
WBBL clubs are increasingly built on the foundations of strong community programmes. Whilst providing positive role models for young people, clubs are also actively involved in developing the next generation of British basketball players and promoting the sport, and associated healthy lifestyles, to young people in their localities.
The WBBL is a key partner in the development of basketball in Britain whilst also providing somewhere for local people to pick up a basketball in the constituencies of WBBL clubs.
The WBBL consider both the national governing body, Basketball England, and the Team GB national programme, run by British Basketball, to be prominent partners in the development of basketball in Britain.
