Basketball

After an absence of external competition in 2020/21 due to the pandemic regulations, the 2021/22 season started with much promise for the senior team. Composed of Upper Eighth, Lower Eighth and Sixth form boys, the team narrowly defeated Charterhouse in the first fixture of the year before succumbing away to Whitgift in the LISBA league in September.

However, the impact of COVID was continuing to have an effect on the season as the seniors had no fixtures for 3 months due to a series of cancellations and all chances of qualifying for the end of season playoffs evaporated. A return to competitive action in January saw the visit of KCS and, despite a spirited defensive performance, the seniors went down to the eventual LISBA winners. With only pride to play for and eager to end another interrupted season on a high, the team welcomed rival Dulwich College in early March and, in a game for the ages, triumphed 66-64 to record a famous victory and

Our plan is to continue to increase basketball opportunities for our pupils.

finish the year with a 2-2 record. Even more impressive was the fact that, due to a number of injuries and absences, débuts were given to a number of players from the lower years. Perhaps fittingly, it was the youngest member of the team, 13 year old Eli Darko, who delivered a man of the match performance.

The end of year is always a time for reflection as we consider those who are moving on from St Paul’s. In particular, this year’s captain, Nicolo Sartori di Borgoricco, who has been a stalwart of St Paul’s basketball since the Fourth Form deserves considerable recognition for his leadership and dedication to the team. Other graduating Upper Eighth players include vice captain Kaan Akyol, Ektor Clark, Giancarlo Ramirez, Yonni Kobrin, Hugo Berman, Tarka English, Jake Bidwell, Jonah Bretherton, William Hitchcock, Assad Osman, and Malachi Cohen. They are all worthy of celebration for their contributions to the basketball team. With a talented group of Lower Eighth boys such as Maxim Botbol, Sebastian Elliot, Sebastian Vanger De Madariaga, Frederick Dehmel, Aris Stephanakis, Felix Kachingwe, and Alexander Tanielian amongst others, the future is bright for the team for the upcoming season. Across the lower year groups, there have also been worthy contributions from Sixth formers Lucian Mandic, Bobby Sice, Riccardo Sartori di Borgoricco, Isiah Sarne, Khem Dhillon, and Xander Szerkowski, as well as 5th formers Finn Johnsson, Marco Benedetti, Monty Brown, George Sakellariou, Nicolas Groeller, and Angus Roberts.

Special mention must go to this year’s Fourth formers who have practised this year with such commitment and passion that next year we have entered a team in the LISBA U15’s. They are a particularly talented group who embrace competition and include Andrew Berko-Boateng, Inigo Conolly, Zak Nathoo, Oliver Whale, Izu Anajuba, Elijah Hountondji, Oliver Destito, Jamie Horley, Eli Darko, Rayaan Naqvi, Alex Speciale, Luca Speciale, Wenjia Huang, Ravi Walker, and Alexander Moreno amongst others. Their success has been the by-product of the increasing rate of participation in St Paul’s Juniors supported by Mr Stewart, Mr Malik and Mr Lucas. This past year has also seen the emergence of dedicated teams of boys in a number of year groups including U3rds, L3rds and L2nds who have participated in fixtures against local schools like Latymer Upper and Notting Hill Prep providing a pathway for basketball through to the senior school. Our plan is to continue to strengthen this in the upcoming year and increase basketball opportunities for our pupils.

Finally, the community service work of the Lower Eighth boys, particularly David Xu, Nao Matshushita, Sebastian Elliot, Sebastian Vanger De Madariaga, Frederick Dehmel, Aris Stephanakis, and Federico Nanni, in bringing basketball to local primary school children this past year to help them get active after the lockdown restrictions were lifted deserves recognition. This has included assisting delivering external weekly coaching sessions and coaching weekend games alongside organising and officiating primary school tournaments for 100+ children. It’s been particularly pleasing to see these students transmit their passion for basketball to younger children and provide a foundation and legacy for basketball development, both within St Paul’s and in the local community, for years to come. ❚ Frank Lamptey