Welsh national league round up 19th -20th Sept

Late Archers Drama and Cougars Century Headline Welsh Basketball Weekend

Welsh clubs recorded victories across the BCB Trophy, Men’s National Cup, junior National Basketball League and Basketball Wales National League during another busy weekend of action.

BCB Trophy

Cardiff Met Archers finished their BCB Trophy group campaign with a dramatic 82–80 victory over Bristol Flyers II.

With the contest finely balanced, Alex Koukouravas hit the decisive three-pointer with just 17 seconds remaining. Koukouravas finished with a team-high 20 points as the Archers held their nerve to secure their second Trophy victory and complete the group stage with a 2–2 record.

Men’s National Cup

Cardiff Met followed their BCB success with a commanding 89–66 victory over Bedford Thunder in the Men’s National Cup. The 23-point win completed an excellent senior weekend for the club and sent the Archers comfortably into the next round.

Cardiff City Senior Men travelled to Black Country Steelers with a young squad under head coach Ben Flook and gave an encouraging account of themselves in an 80–69 defeat.

City remained competitive against established National League opposition and scored 69 points on the road. Giving talented young players meaningful senior minutes at this level should accelerate their development, with Flook building a group that has plenty of potential for the season ahead. City return to league action with a 1–0 record when they visit Bath Basketball on Saturday.

U18 Men

Cardiff Met Archers U18 Men Arrows continued their unbeaten start with an impressive 117–82 victory over Cardiff City U18 Men in an entertaining all-Welsh contest. The Arrows moved to 2–0 after another outstanding offensive performance, while City also demonstrated plenty of attacking quality against one of the division’s strongest teams.

West Wales Dragons U18 Men also maintained their perfect record, defeating Plymouth Basketball U18 Men 60–48. A disciplined defensive performance and composed finish secured a second consecutive victory for the Dragons.

Cardiff Met Archers U18 Men Bows faced a difficult opening assignment against Huish Taunton Tigers U18 Men, with the visitors recording a 101–39 victory. The young Bows group gained an early benchmark of the national-league level and will have an immediate opportunity to respond against Bristol Storm next weekend.

U16 Boys

Vale Vipers U16 Boys Black produced one of the weekend’s standout performances with a comprehensive 146–31 victory over Dorset Storm U16 Boys. Ean Alford led the scoring with 27 points, Finley Evans added 18 and Elijah Burnett contributed 17 during an excellent all-round display.

Vale Vipers U16 Boys Orange earned a strong 75–54 away victory over West Wales Dragons U16 Boys Green. Both Welsh teams produced encouraging spells, with Vale eventually creating the separation needed to secure the win.

Cardiff Met Archers U16 Boys recorded an excellent 63–54 victory away to Bath Panthers U16 Boys. The Archers remained composed throughout a competitive contest and executed well in the closing stages to complete a nine-point win.

Cardiff Tribal Hunters U16 Boys also impressed on the road, returning from Bristol Flyers U16 Boys II with a 69–53 victory. Tribal’s defensive intensity helped them control the game and secure a strong start to their campaign.

U14 Boys

Vale Vipers U14 Boys pushed Kingston Lions U14 Boys throughout a closely fought Western Premier contest before narrowly losing 75–69. Vale remained within striking distance until the final stages and can take plenty from competing so strongly against high-level opposition.

Cardiff Tribal Hunters U14 Boys were also involved in a close game, eventually falling 65–58 away to Bristol Hurricanes U14 Boys. Tribal battled throughout and remained firmly in contention against a strong Hurricanes side.

Cardiff Met Archers U14 Boys faced a difficult afternoon against Bristol Sonics U14 Boys, who recorded a 115–21 victory. It was a demanding early-season test that gives the developing Archers group a clear benchmark as they adjust to national-league competition.

U12 Mixed

West Wales Dragons U12 Mixed opened their campaign against Oxford Hoops U12 Mixed, with the visitors taking a 58–38 victory. The young Dragons produced several encouraging passages of play and gained another valuable national-league experience.

Basketball Wales National League

Cougars opened their BWNL season with an entertaining 100–79 victory over Caerphilly Cobras.

Dan Tully delivered an outstanding 28-point performance to earn the game’s MVP award, while Ross Davies also connected on important three-pointers. Both teams contributed to an excellent showcase for the BWNL, combining for 179 points as the new campaign began in style.

This Weekend’s Fixtures

Saturday 3 October

• Bath Basketball v Cardiff City Senior Men
• Cardiff Met Archers v B. Braun Sheffield Hatters — Women’s Super League Basketball
• Plymouth Patriots U18 Men v Cardiff Met Archers Arrows
• Bristol Storm U18 Men v Cardiff Met Archers Bows
• Cornwall Saracens U18 Men v West Wales Dragons
• Huish Taunton Tigers U18 Men v Cardiff City
• Vale Vipers Orange U16 Boys v Bath Panthers
• Huish Taunton Tigers U16 Boys v Vale Vipers Black
• Exeter Spartans U16 Boys v West Wales Dragons White
• Cardiff Tribal Hunters U14 Boys v Cornwall Saracens
• West Wales Dragons U12 Mixed v Aylesbury Dux
• Kennet Kingfishers U12 Mixed v Vale Vipers
• Mold Magic v West Coast Warriors — BWNL

Sunday 4 October

• Cardiff Met Archers U18 Women v City of Leeds Gold
• Lancashire Spinners U18 Women v Cardiff Tribal Hunters
• Cardiff Met Archers U16 Boys v Bristol Hurricanes
• Plymouth Patriots U14 Boys v Cardiff Met Archers
• Cardiff Met Archers v Ynys Môn Druids — BWNL