Seevic make British finals for first time (From Echo)

Seevic make British finals for first time

3:00pm Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Basketball By Frazer Clark

Seevic College has fought its way through to the national basketball finals.

Success at the East Region British Colleges Tournament event at the University of East Anglia gave the teengers their slot in the finals which take place at Bath University at the end of March.

“This success just shows how much development has taken place this year within the Seevic College basketball programme,” said Seevic coach Dan Seaman.

“And it gives us a strong start to 2012.

“We have not made the national finals before and this reflects how much work the lads have done over the months to improve their basketball.”

The Thundersley college made its way through the pool stages and squared up to tough Colvic College in the semi-finals.

And the Runnymede Chase-based team were under pressure until Joseph Odejimi, 18, from Chadwell Heath, secured a long range three-point shot to put the team into the lead.

Colchester College were finally floored when Westcliff-based Elliott Defreitas, 17, set up a long court pass to Alex Sarafis, who scored the winner and put the team through.

In the regional final against reigning national champions Hackney Community College play was tight.

Seevic College had the slight advantage as they had defeated Hackney Community College in November during the National Cup.

But it was the opposition that gained a 6-0 lead and they controlled the game to remain ahead.

When the match went to overtime Seevic’s Southend-based Connor Wheeler, 18, drew a foul to give two very important foul line shots.

Ignoring the pressure he managed to score to put the college one point ahead.

Seaman urged his young charges on in the dying seconds and despite a last-gasp Hackney effort which bounced off the hoop, Odejimi held possession for the buzzer and guaranteed a slot in the national finals.

“All the team members are full-time students at Seevic and are all training twice a day as well as doing studies towards A-Levels and B-Tec,” added Seaman.

“The finals are going to be tough as there will be seven of the best teams in the country alongside us.

“Probably the ones to watch out for will be lads from Manchester’s Loreto College — they are linked to the Manchester Magic team and have a great reputation.”

Seaman, 24, grew up in Southend and went to school in Shoeuryness High before studying at Seevic and then teaching at Appleton School in Benfleet.

He started in the sports department at Seevic in September.