EABL & WEABL Summer Showcase announced as top prospects return to action

By Sam Neter on April 29, 2021

Image Credit: Lauren Newham/Derby Trailblazers

The top Under-19 players in the country will return to competitive action with the announcement of the EABL and WEABL Summer Showcase from Basketball England this afternoon.

The new competition, designed to provide access to high-quality competition for young elite players in order to enhance their development and progression opportunities, will take place over seven weeks, featuring 15 EABL and 12 WEABL sides.

It will be the first competitive action in over a year for the majority of players, since the COVID-19 pandemic brought an end to the 2019-20 season prematurely and cancelled the 2020-21 season entirely.

Beginning in the first week of May and with a focus on player development, the Showcase won’t crown an overall team winner upon completion, instead aiming to complete as many games as possible in a safe and responsible environment, given the current COVID climate.

“It is great to be back,” Myerscough head coach Neal Hopkins said. “This has been a long time coming and I think I speak on behalf of everyone in saying that I’m excited to see the players back on the court after such a difficult time.

“I hope as a league we are able to put on a great show!”

Itchen’s WEABL head coach Vicky Milner added:

“We’re really looking forward to the Summer Showcase event and seeing what we can do as a group.

“COVID has made it hard for everyone this year, especially the U19s who have missed a whole year of competition and games. This event will enable them to get out on the court, compete and have something to prepare for.

“It’s felt like the longest pre-season ever but we are ready to go.”

The schedule will be split into North and South pools, with no crossover between the pools at any
point. Some fixtures will be played at a single venue, with some game weeks using a ‘bubble’ site to
host multiple games on one day.

The teams for this year’s Summer Showcase are as follows:

EABL
Northern Conference
Charnwood College Riders
Derby College Trailblazers
James Watt College-BMet
Manchester Magic Academy
Myerscough College
Newcastle Eagles Academy (From June onwards)
SGS College
The Sheffield College

Southern Conference
Barking Abbey Academy
City of London Academy
Copleston High School
Itchen College
John Madejski Academy
Oaklands College
The Canterbury Academy

WEABL
North Conference
Charnwood College Riders
Derby Trailblazers Academy
James Watt College-BMet
Manchester Mystics Academy
Nottingham Academy Wildcats
The Sheffield College

South Conference
Barking Abbey Academy
City of London Academy
Copleston High School
Itchen College
John Madejski Academy
Oaklands College

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