Students Embrace ‘Basketball Fever’ at Annual Secondary 3X3 Competition

The annual Inspiration Trust 3X3 Basketball Tournament returned to the University of East Anglia’s Sportpark on Tuesday 4th February, with all 9 Trust secondary schools catching ‘basketball fever’ throughout the day. With 360 male and female students from year 7-10 participating in fast-paced basketball action, facilitated by current Basketball Academy Students from Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form and Jane Austen College, the Trust showed exactly how much this sport is growing in our community. 

3X3 basketball, a thrilling version of the sport where teams of 3 play in a single half court, is growing in popularity across the country and beyond, with UK Sport pledging over £4 million to the sport in preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Students showed just how popular the sport has become across our Secondary Schools in our round-robin style tournament, in a massive 288 games played in total throughout the day. With all 5 sports halls at the UEA Sportpark being used to create 14 simultaneously running 3X3 basketball courts, the event was a spectacle! 

Paul Wayman, Trust Sports Coordinator said: 

“One of the biggest events of the year, the Trust 3X3 basketball tournament, was another roaring success. To see our Trust students, both experienced and brand new to the sport, competing at such a high intensity and producing some real moments of magic on the court was amazing. To combine this intense level of competitiveness with the great sportsmanship, determination and respect is not easy, but the students did their schools proud.  

We must also thank our fantastic group of officials and scorers, both experienced professionals and volunteer Basketball Academy students, for getting stuck in and ensuring a competitive and fair tournament, and our fantastic PE staff for their help in managing teams, getting players to fixtures and taking on first aid responsibilities.” 

While being a stage for experienced players to show off their skills, the tournament was also an opportunity for many players to take part in their first ever competitive basketball event, and giving inexperienced players a taste of the speed, agility and finesse demonstrated in basketball matches. There has never been more opportunity for players to get involved in basketball outside of school in Norfolk, with numerous clubs across the county that accommodate for all abilities. 

As well as with a local basketball club, players who are interested in getting a taste for elite level basketball can apply to the Inspiration Trust Basketball Academy programme where students aged 16 to 19 can combine an elite basketball programme with an outstanding academic education at Jane Austen College Sixth Form and/or Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form. With the Astros (Men’s) team competing in the College Basketball League (CBL) this season, and the aim to launch a full Supernovas (Women’s) programme for the 2025/26 season, the Trust is embracing the current spike in the sport’s popularity. 

We were also lucky enough to be able to present two special awards, the Astros Boys’ Outstanding Player Award and the Supernovas’ Girls’ Outstanding Player Award, chosen by our Astros (Male) and Supernovas (Female) Basketball Academy Students. The award was sponsored by local club Basketball in the Community (BBITC), who donated a free basketball and either 6 weeks of free basketball sessions, or a free spot on their Easter basketball camp, to two lucky players. The winners of these awards were Harry Elsmere (Hewett) and Lana Ames (East Point). 

All players received a certificate for participating, and all teams had their photograph taken to be framed and sent to be displayed in their respective academy. Officials and Basketball Academy students also had the opportunities to nominate players to receive all-star and most valuable player (MVP) trophies from each age category, alongside the individual tournament medal winners. Results and MVP winners can be seen below. 

Most Valuable Players 

Year 7 Girls – Rae (Cromer) 

Yera 7 Boys – Nikodem (Thetford) 

Year 8 Girls – Bea (Hethersett) 

Year 8 Boys – Finley (King Edward VII) 

Year 9 Girls – Isabelle (East Point) 

Year 9 Boys – Arnav (Hewett) 

Year 10 Girls – Josie (Hethersett) 

Year 10 Boys – Charlie (Great Yarmouth Charter)