The University of Chichester Thunder basketball team has become an official nursery team to British Basketball League (BBL) side Worthing Thunder.
The official tie-up will provide opportunities for the Chichester players to train with the full BBL squad and means the best players at the University can be called on to play by Worthing Thunder if the fixture list allows for the remainder of the 2010/11 season, and beyond. With former BBL players such as Bud Johnston (Brighton Bears), Jasper Chiwuzie (London Capital) and Liam Mitchell (Thunder 09/10) on the Chichester roster, there is plenty of talent within that squad.
In addition to the players being able to play for the BBL side, it also means that Chichester are playing some of their matches at the Worthing Leisure Centre ahead of BBL matches on the same night. The first such occasion was on 29 January, when helped by 36 points for Bud Johnston and 23 for Liam Mitchell, they beat Guernsey 99-52. The next time will be Saturday 26 February at 5pm when they host table-topping Taunton Tigers in what promises to be a great clash ahead of Worthing’s local derby against the Guildford Heat (7.30pm).
Worthing Thunder Operations Director Alan Sweetman-Hicks is pleased that the two organisations continue to forge ever-closer links. He said: “We are grateful to the University for the continuing support they are giving us and in allowing this nursery set-up to happen. It can only lead to good things for both clubs – here in Worthing we will be able to look at and call-up the best talent at the University’s disposal, and the University will be able to attract players who will know that if they perform for the University, there is a chance of a route into the BBL, which in turn should make the University of Chichester Thunder better.
“It also means that all the players coming through our junior programme have somewhere to look at as a viable option for their post A Level studies where they can learn in a great institution and play for the University team in BUCS and National League fixtures, knowing that if they are good enough, they can progress onto the Worthing Thunder themselves.”
Sid Fletcher Sports Development Manager for the University of Chichester Students’ Union also expressed his delight at recent developments between the organisations. He said: “The speed of developments over the past two years has been staggering. When we all first met in Worthing Leisure Centre to discuss the plan, we could never have imagined we would be in this position so quickly, with an official partnership and nursery status with a BBL club, a strong performing National League side, and two British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) teams.”
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