LAST season proved to be a very successful one for the Teesside University Basketball team.
Despite being runners up in their league, the club won their second Northern Conference Cup in a row after a thrilling cup final in Leeds.
And the club are looking for even more gold as the club returned to action in October.
The team started off the new campaign with a 67-62 win over Huddersfield last month but coach Tony Hanson says there’s still work to do.
Hanson said: “It was a tough game and I think giving that we hadn’t played in a while, we did very good.
“We had a couple of the new players in and we had the chance to start those players and we need to work on getting the team flowing.
“The fact that we’re back in action will give us a good idea about what to work on for the season ahead.
“We feel confident in our abillities but we know that the players have to be up to the challenge.”
The side hadn’t been in action on the court since March.
But they returned to competition at the Olympia Building in style with the win over Huddersfield.
Now the players are back, they players are looking to make an emphatic statement in both the league and the cup.
The team will be battling the likes of the Universities of Huddersifled, Sheffield and Leeds in the Northern 2B division while also looking to defend their Conference Cup.
The club won an intense cup final after beating Salford University 100-96 in double overtime.
Salford had established a 100% record in their league leading up to the cup final clash with Teesside.
However, Salford were stopped in their tracks as Teesside’s Romonn Nelson got 12 crucial points in a row to win the game in second double overtime.
This was the second Conference Cup in a row for the team who has become a formidable force in the university basketball division.
Tony is optimistic about what Teesside will be able to do this season in both the league and the cup.
“The aim is to compete every week and to be one of the top teams in the Conference league.
“We’d like to try and bring home the title after coming so close last season and if our team can take shape fast, there may be a chance for us get a lot of success.”
“And if things go our way, we can also win the Conference Cup again for a third year!”
The university team is part of the Hoop Dreams project which continues to be the flagship education and sports project for basketball in the Tees Valley and Northeast region.
It is part of the unique partnership between the Tees Valley Mohawks Basketball Club, Teesside University and Middlesbrough College.
It also works closely with local schools, colleges, Local Authorities Sports Development teams, the BME Network and partners as well as the Teesside Basketball League and the Durham Basketball League
For more information contact 07947532504 or you can get in touch with Tony via e-mail at t.hanson25@yahoo.co.uk.
Courtside Teesside 