WIN for Inclusive Zone Basketball Team

On Thursday 21st November the GMS Inclusive Zone Basketball (IZB) basketball team travelled to Aldershot Garrison to compete in the South East Regional competition.

IZB is a growing sport. The court is split into three zones, with two runners on either side and four wheelchair ballers in the middle section. Each player must stay in their own zone and the ball must pass through each zone before a shot can be taken on offence. It was developed to enable able-bodied and disabled students to compete on the same team, and is fully supported by British Wheelchair Basketball who provides the venues, table officials and referees.

GMS have competed for the last two years and have always narrowly missed the top spot, enabling progression to the National Finals. This year they won all but one of their pool games, which guaranteed them a route to the final.

Yet again they faced St Crispin’s School, who have a strong basketball team and a talented GB Academy player in their squad. The game started with St Crispin’s taking an early lead with three baskets going unanswered. GMS kept their heads, though, and brought the score level just before half time.

The second half continued with the score going basket for basket for each team. With just five minutes to go GMS decided they’d had enough of coming second, upped the pace and the pressure and won.  The final score was 17-23 to GMS. The team now progress to the National Finals at  The University of Nottingham in February 2020.

The school are tremendously proud of this achievement and all our best wishes go with the squad into the final in February. Thank you to squad players for their time and commitment to the game. Thank you to the coaches for their time and commitment that have made the IZB team finalists.