Academy recap: EABL, WEABL seasons underway - week one's winners

The first week of the EABL and WEABL 2023/24 season is in the bag with eight games taking place across the country.

Six EABL fixtures played out, with three in the North and three in the South, whilst the WEABL action was purely in the South conference with a pair of fixtures.

Here’s how it all went down. 

EABL 

Derby Trailblazers and Manchester Magic fought out a Northern Conference battle that went right to the wire with the Blazers coming out on top 72-70 on enemy territory. 

Matt Shaw’s men claimed victory with the last play of the game after Owen Hughes-Merriman stole the ball in midcourt to feed Genti Cokaj as Magic were in search of their own winner.  

Cokaj was the standout for Derby with a monster 20-point, 17-rebound double-double (25 eff) while Dylan Dominici had 14 more. 

Magic shared the load with Joe Buchanan (18pts), Shaquille Furlonge (14pts), Luca Lara-Sanchez (12pts) and Matt Goodwin (11pts) all in double figures. 

Charnwood College Riders also won away, beating old rivals Myerscough College 80-71.

Guard Oscar Curran led the way with 20 points and seven assists and Edward Onyia (17pts) and Lewis Gleason (16pts) also made telling contributions. 

Newly-arrived GB U20s guard Tyrese Lacey led the 'Sco scoring with 19 points despite going 1/7 from range, while Daniel Nwauzu had a 16-point, 15-board double-double and Lewis Smith had 17/7. 

Rounding out the Northern action, SGS College saw off BMET City of Birmingham Rockets 105-94 behind a big 34-point haul from Diego Perez-Tosca. Ashton Dyer had 15 and Callum Smart 14.  

Ethan Haywood (25pts), Josh White (14pts) and Corey Davis (13pts) replied for the Rockets.  

In the Southern Conference, City of London Academy - Southwark edged their London battle with Barking Abbey 80-75 ,with new signing Khyle Capanzana leading the victors with 24 points.

He was backed up by Isaac Fiagbe’s 19 points, while reigning EABL finals MVP Moziah King Danchie (19pts) was the main man for Barking. 

The Canterbury Academy saw off JMA Rockets 77-71 as England big man Tim Oboh shone with 27 points and seven rebounds.

Shem Onadeko had 19/7 and Ludlow Hewson closed with 16 points and seven assists. 

The Round brothers, Isaac (17pts) and Ethan (14pts) were the JMA standouts. 

Copleston brushed aside Oaklands 77-57 with Sam Wood’s 20-point haul pivotal.

Femi Edu had 16 in support for the hosts, while Ethan Downing’s 19 was the pick of the Oaklands' effort. 

WEABL

In the women’s competition there were two heavy home wins. 

Yazmin Edwards' 28-point, 10-steal, 35-efficiency performance in just 23 minutes helped Copleston to an 89-24 demolition of Oaklands. Liv Forster helped herself to 20 points and dished out six assists, and Rosie Porter (11pts) was the only Oaklands player to make double-digits scoring. 

City of London Academy - Southwakr gave Barking Abbey a similar problem, winning 75-20 on their home court with the host sharing the load on offence as Felicia Jacobs (12pts) Glory Kabia and Esther Kursite (10pts each) all played well.

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