NASSA 91 Brentwood Fire 68 NEWHAM ALL STAR SPORTS ACADEMY under-15s are celebrating getting another team through to the National England Basketball Final Fours competition with victory over Brentwood Fire. The first basket of the game went to Brentwood, b

NASSA 91 Brentwood Fire 68

NEWHAM ALL STAR SPORTS ACADEMY under-15s are celebrating getting another team through to the National England Basketball Final Fours competition with victory over Brentwood Fire.

The first basket of the game went to Brentwood, but NASSA came back quickly.

For the rest of the quarter both teams traded baskets with the east London side maintaining a slim lead.

By the end of the second quarter, NASSA had begun to stretch ahead and led the game by 11 baskets.

The third quarter saw Brentwood put pressure on the NASSA players, but their superior skill kept the Fire at bay.

Captain Alex Semanda led his team by example and was clearly the man of the match as he drove hard to the basket, scoring several times in quick succession.

Good plays from Alexander Semanda, Eromoselle Unuabona, Jany Rahman, George Jarvis, Alexandro Demesa and Myles Laurent-Smart pushed the score up for NASSA, while post players Phillip Osemwegie and Sigitas Pobutka dominated in the key.

Fire continued to push throughout the final quarter as the pace of the game took its toll on the NASSA players and several were fouled out.

However, the determination of the NASSA team gave them the edge and allowed them to win the game by a comfortable margin.

"This is a fantastic result for NASSA," said director Natasha Hart. "We now have not one, but two teams competing in the National Final Fours this season.

"This is the third year on the trot that we have achieved this.

"The players and coaches have worked consistently and I am pleased that that hard work has given them the result that they deserved.

"This level of success only comes with all that effort and if we are to stand a chance of winning at the Final Fours then our players and coaches have more hard work to do.