WARRINGTON-based Cheshire Wire basketball club picked up their first national title with an 82-71 victory over Sheffield Junior Saints in the U16 National Cup Final at the Amaechi Centre in Manchester.
The result marked a meteoric rise for the club, which in just two years of existence have been national runners-up at Under-15 and Under-18 level and have now taken home some silverware.
Sam Wilson went off for 34 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals on 17/24 shooting to pick up MVP honours for Cheshire, who managed to hold off a Saints side that wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Wire led by 14 at half-time, but Sheffield found their range in the third, knocking down six three pointers to outscore their opposition 30-12 and hold a four point lead heading into the final period.
From there, a 14-4 run by Cheshire to open the quarter saw them do enough to close out the win and avenge their only league defeat of the season which was at the hands of the Saints.
“I think both teams turned up knowing it was going to be close. My players showed great maturity and didn’t panic,” said Wire head coach Mike Halpin.
“The club has only been running for two years and now winning the Sureshot Cup shows how well the club is going; this has been helped by a great group of people running things and letting our coaches just get on with the coaching.”
Louis MacKay added 20 and Max Jones 17 for Cheshire, while Sam Van Oostrum led Sheffield with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, Jacob Cauthorn finished with 16 and 11 rebounds, and Adam Higginbottom 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Picture shows the Cheshire team, left to right: Manager Neil Cummins Assistant coach Carl Wilson. Players: Callum Owen, Ross Frewin, Joe Cummins, Sam Wilson, Dom Brooke, Owen Roberts, Ben Goodacre, Louis Mackay, Alex Price, James Speed, Joe Ball, Max Jones and head coach Mike Halpin.
