You may already know that Topskips are the only skip hire company in the UK to sponsor a junior basketball team. Well, not content with sponsoring St Paul’s Slammers of Withington, (the Greater Manchester Schools Junior Basketball Champions 2007), Topskips have now moved up an age-group to sponsor… ‘The Warriors’ – also of Withington. Whilst the ‘Slammers’ continue to flourish in the Saturday Morning Primary School League, the Warriors are a team of Year 7 (first year secondary school kids), some of whom were part of the Slammers team who won a string of gold and sliver medals over the past four years.
The Warriors play on Friday night at the John Amaechi Basketball Centre, Whalley Range, in the Year 7&8 League – and although the team comprises of only Year 7’s, they have already punched above their weight by finishing second in the Division 2 Winter League and gaining immediate promotion to Division One. The only downside with that is that, until the Summer, they will find themselves up against teams largely made up of Year 8’s, some of whom are a foot taller than the Warriors! So this is proving the players’ most challenging season since they began playing together as young juniors.
RECENT RESULTS
WARRIORS 36 – PARRS WOOD HEAT 30
In a tough encounter with the Heat who are seasoned competitors in Div One, the Warriors took an early lead and battled hard to keep their noses in front the whole way. Excellent win against more experienced opponents.
TORNADOES 56 – WARRIORS 28
The height of the Tornadoes who might have more been aptly named the ‘Skyscrapers’ always meant they would have the advantage against the Div 1 rookies but the Warriors showed customary grit and did well to put so many baskets past the Tornadoes’ tall defence.
‘SLAMMERS’ (Not St Pauls!) 58 – WARRIORS 36
No, not our Slammers! This Y7/8 outfit seems to have borrowed our young team’s name – and some of their basketball prowess by the look of it. Despite that, the Warriors might have got a lot closer but for some wastefulness in front of the basket. However, once again, it was good to see the Division 1 new boys competing with much larger opponents.
‘I can’t overstate the generosity of Topskips in sponsoring the kits of both our teams. It has made such a difference to the players being well turned-out and wearing kits they like playing in. In Summer 2007, the Slammers played in a series of three tournaments, firstly, the South Manchester Schools Schools Basketball Tournament, then the Manchester Championship and finally the Greater Manchester Tournament (mentioned above)’. They won all three. It was fantastic to take the team to these tournaments, turned out in such a good kit and that wouldn’t have been possible with the help and support of Topskips. Without doubt this contributed to our great success.’ JAMES QUINN, CURRENT COACH OF ‘THE WARRIORS & COACH OF ‘ST PAULS SLAMMERS’ 2003-7.
