Basketball tournament hits the heights

Nine teams representing East Grinstead Towers, Eastbourne's South Coast Dream, 1066 Conquerors, Hastings Select and hosts Bexhill Giants contested the title.

Champions for the last three years East Grinstead, and South Coast Dream each entered two teams after Dover Pirates and streetball.co.uk withdrew due to other commitments.

The teams were split into two groups with the pick of the matches being between Giants 2 and the Allstars which went into overtime after Khalid Al Mamhood scored a three pointer on the buzzer to level the scores.

In the knockout stages, Conquerors, along with both East Grinstead sides, looked very strong as they progressed to the semi finals, while the Allstars surprisingly defeated an experienced Giants 1 team which included Bexhill Giants and London Towers player Craig Douglin and Brighton Bears' Ian Berry.

Both East Grinstead teams came face to face with EG 2 emerging victorious, while in the other semi-final, Conquerors defeated the Allstars.

The final proved a fitting showpiece which kept the large crowd entertained as both teams traded baskets and played some excellent basketball. The Conquerors, captained by the experienced Rob Abbots, pushed the EG team, which included players who had just been crowned Sussex Basketball League champions, all the way before losing 17-16.

A dunk competition was won by Alex Mander and a three point shoot-out was taken by Berry. The children's shoot-out winner was Leon Driver.

The trophies were presented to the winners and runners-up by Richard Porter of Porter Associates Financial Accountants, who sponsor the Giants.