Tournament report – Phoenix Knights
A Cheshire Phoenix team formed of 7 players from the U11 and U12 squads entered the Warrington Sport for All Charity Year 5/6 tournament. The event was brilliantly organised, in aid of an excellent cause in the British Heart Foundation and it attracted strong teams from across the North West.
The tournament was a league format of eight teams, with every team playing each other and in the event of a tie, points difference would be the decider.
The Phoenix Knights got off to an electric start winning their first game 36 – 0 and their second 8 – 0.
In game three they played a very strong, and eventually second placed, Stockport Falcons U12 team. The Falcons were talented and tough opponents who forced the Knights to play their best basketball. With 15 seconds to go it looked like the Knights had clinched it, but the Falcons gained a fast break to sink a late basket for a well-earned draw.
By the middle of the afternoon a number of strong sides had managed to avoid defeat and the competition was tight.
As the Knights cycled through their remaining fixtures they came up against a strong side from Manchester, who gave them another real test. Knights fought well to hold out for a nail-biting 12-10 win.
In the next two games, the Knight’s posted some big scores; 28 – 6 and 22 – 6, which would help their eventual points difference.
As the tournament reached its closing stages, the Knights closest rivals took points off each other, while the Knights were able to navigate to the end of the day without defeat.
With six wins, 1 draw, 130 points for and 36 points against, the Phoenix Knights were deserved winners of a superb tournament, with a very high standard of basketball on display and all in aid of a very worthy cause.
