Basketball players hold court

The Bexhill Youth and Community Centre was the venue for the Bexhill Basketball Club event as the unpredictable weather forced the competition from its intended outdoor venue.

Some 40 players representing 10 teams took part in the inaugural event with the aim of raising the profile of basketball in the Rother and Hastings area.

Local teams Adidas 4 Stripe, Hastings Direct Insurance, Power Rangers, Titchbands Army and Pat's Boys competed against strong opposition Sleeper (South Coast Dreams Eastbourne), East Grinstead Towers, Reading, Crawley A and Crawley B.

Crawley A, who included Brighton Bears young star Bud Johnson in their line-up, clinched the title with a thrilling overtime victory against a Towers side which featured London Towers u20 players Seb Springall and Joe Lawlor in the final. The previous round produced some of the most exciting basketball of the day as Crawley saw off Reading and Towers got the better of Sleeper.

Due to the success of the day tournament organiser Eric Douglin plans to make it an annual event.