We've got previews below of all four of the Sure Shot National Cup Finals from across the Jnr. NBL, and fixture titles can be clicked to access live stats links.
Live streams are also available, along with a gallery of photos of this year's finalists in action at the bottom of the page.
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After claiming their first Sure Shot U16 Girls’ National Cup crown a year ago, Richmond Knights are back once again and looking to defend their title against hometown favourites Manchester Mystics.
2022/23 winners, the Mystics would love to get their name onto the Cup for a fourth time, but Richmond won’t want to let their grip on the silverware go quite that fast, considering their season to date.
Top of the U16 Southern Premier standings with a perfect 11-0 record, coach Mubeen’s side will want to continue their unbeaten streak for as long as possible, including seeing off their North West opponents.
As unlikely as it sounds, the Mystics can one up Richmond in that regard. 12-0 in the Northern Premier, the opening clash of this year’s Finals really does feature the best of the best in the age group.
Both teams are not only unbeaten so far, but they’ve been dominant in league play. Manchester’s points difference currently sits at 653, whilst Richmond’s is 466.
That quality has also extended to the Cup. Only Manchester have faced a single-digit victory to reach this stage, claiming their semi against last season’s finalists Milton Keynes 62-54, as Richmond have made short work of their three opponents to reach the U16 showpiece.
Two unbeaten teams will enter but only one will remain, with fans treated to a spectacle of U16 basketball to start the Cup Final weekend.
Richmond Knights’ Ada Akyol: “As a team we have worked extremely hard to be in the Final again. We are all very proud and ready to defend our title.”
Manchester Mystics’ head coach Joe Andrew: “We’re very pleased to have reached the Final of the competition but we know our work isn’t done yet. “We faced a tough semi-final from a strong Milton Keynes side which we were able to battle through and come out with the win. “We expect the game to be skilful, physical and challenging. We know that basketball can be a game of runs, let see who will finish on top.”
There will be a new name on the Sure Shot U16 Boys’ National Cup this year as London Stars and Milton Keynes Breakers go head-to-head for their first title.
The Stars were beaten finalists back in 2018/19, going down 85-76 against a Cameron Hildreth inspired Sussex Storm, and the Londoners would love to go one step better this weekend to claim a maiden title.
Stars head to Manchester with a perfect regular season record, ruling the roost in the Eastern Premier. At 13-0 they sit in top spot, and their +353 points difference shows their standard of play to date.
Milton Keynes may not sport the same spotless record, but their place at the NBPC is more than deserved.
Their 10-3 record is good for tied second in a highly competitive Northern Premier, and victories against Sussex Storm (72-70) and City of Birmingham Rockets (70-58) in the last two rounds show that this MK side thrive on the big moments.
Unsurprisingly, London Stars have also impressed in their Cup run. No win was bigger than their 68-58 semi-final success against twelve-time winners and defending champs Manchester Magic. That performance was the cherry on the top of a run that has also seen West Herts Warriors, London Thunder I, Haringey Heat and London Thunder II all dispatched.
London Stars’ head coach Kelvin Facey: “Reaching the Finals has been an incredible journey, marked by hard work, resilience, and trust in each other. “Now, as we prepare to face Milton Keynes in the Final, we are ready to leave everything on the court, embracing the opportunity to compete for the title. “This is the moment we’ve worked for all season.”
Milton Keynes Breakers’ Samuel Muleba: “Reaching the Cup Final is a testament to the heart and unity of our team. “It’s an honour to stand on the court alongside my teammates knowing that every game we’ve played during our Cup run has brought us up to this final challenge. “We’ve worked hard to get to this point so I’m excited to see what we can do on the big stage.”
Two of the biggest and best women’s programmes in the country lock horns once again as CoLA Southwark Pride and Endeavour Ipswich Basketball contest the Sure Shot U18 Women’s National Cup.
This duo has combined to win the U18 competition over each of the last four years, with the pair contesting the last three Cup Finals. Seeing them both return to NBPC is therefore no surprise, but games between the two sides rarely disappoint.
Both sides compete in the Southern Premier, though they’re yet to meet this season. CoLA sit at 5-0, Ipswich are 2-0, with their two much-anticipated league games both slated for later in 2025.
A large portion of both these rosters do compete in other areas, including the WEABL and WNBL Division One. Copleston, Ipswich’s Academy affiliate, are a perfect 8-0 in their 10-game schedule, and CoLA are 4-1 with their only loss coming against Copleston.
D1W is a similar story, with CoLA (9-2) and Ipswich (9-3) both tied at the top, providing these U18 players with another outlet to further their development.
CoLA have won all three of their games to reach this stage by double digits, with only Oaklands College (84-78) stopping Ipswich from doing the same back in October.
CoLA Southwark Pride’s head coach Brian Nguru: “To have the privilege of reaching the U18 Women’s Cup Final is a great achievement and one that we never take for granted. “Our opponents, Endeavour Ipswich, are an experienced team that we know will come ready to compete on the day. “We hope to showcase a competitive and exciting game with some of the rising stars of women's basketball in the UK, from both teams.”
Endeavour Ipswich Basketball’s head coach Harriet Welham: “I’m extremely proud of the girls for getting into the final, it’s a massive day for them and the club and a chance to make history. “Playing CoLA, we understand that little ‘ole’ Ipswich are coming into the game as underdogs, but we’re excited for the challenge and can’t wait to compete for 40 minutes.”
Saturday’s final contest will see Charnwood College Riders taking on CoLA Southwark Pride for the Sure Shot U18 Men’s National Cup.
Both these teams have had success in this competition, though you need to go back nearly a decade for it. Charnwood beat Manchester to win in 2017/18, whilst CoLA, then Peckham Pride, won it all back in 2015/16.
Beginning their Cup journey in mid-October, the Londoners have beaten Harris Federation Knights (82-38), Kingston Wildcats (91-62), London Stars (73-66) and Oxford Elite (109-54), finishing things off with an impressive 83-55 semi-final win against Myerscough earlier this month.
Charnwood’s run has been just as eye-catching, knocking off Leicester Dynamite (122-61), Derby Trailblazers (95-88), Ballers Heaven Warwickshire Warriors (94-84) and Oaklands College (80-74).
Their semi-final was a nail-biter, which saw them pull off a 78-75 road win against Team Solent Kestrels to punch their ticket to the NBPC by a narrow margin.
Unlike in other Sure Shot Finals this year, neither side has navigated their league schedule unbeaten. Pride are 6-2, good for sixth in the Eastern Premier, whilst the Riders are 10-3 and top of the Northern Premier, though Manchester Giants (9-0) are closing in fast.
The two teams did meet in the EABL final last year, with Charnwood coming through as 64-59 winners. Though some players from both teams have now graduated to continue their basketball journeys elsewhere, others will remain and eager to get their teeth into what is sure to be a high-quality rematch.
Charnwood College Riders’ Elias Rice: "It's a huge blessing to be playing in the National Cup Final and an even bigger one being the captain of this team. We are ready to play and give it everything we've got. “I’m very excited about the game and I’m sure it’s going to be a fun one. We have worked hard to get to this point and we’re looking to win it all.”
CoLA Southwark Pride’s Tobi Aina: “We have worked hard all season and played and won some tough games throughout our road to the Final. “We are all focused and ready to play our game and hopefully bring home the Cup.”
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