After a successful 2016/17 season that saw the COHENEL Warriors win the AoC division in emphatic style with a win on the road against Peterborough Academy, Basketball England have confirmed the academy have gained promotion to the Academies Basketball League (ABL) for the 2017/2018 season.

The promotion solidifies COHENEL’s place amongst the leading academies across the country and represents a significant step up in competition for the college, for the season ahead.  The most talented and competitive basketball colleges across England compete in the EABL and ABL divisions, so the move instantly elevates COHENEL into the national spotlight.

Warriors Head Coach, Jay Williams who has revitalised the Warriors program and orchestrated the teams most recent success, reflected on the promotion and what he expects from 2017/2018 team:

“It is a great achievement for the players, and a nice reward for all the work they put in this past season.  Now the new players coming in and the returnees get to put everything they will learn in our practises, up against some of the best academies in the country and hopefully we will do similar things in the ABL, that we have been able to do in the AoC”.

LSB Academy Director, Nhamo Shire, added:

“This has evolved from the successful, but not surprising, start to Jay’s career at COHENEL.  He’s been able to come in and get to work, doing what he does best.  I honestly believe you won’t find a better coach in the country throughout any of the academies – and that is said with the utmost respect to all the talented coaches we currently have in our game.  We had a hard working group of young men this past season who gave Jay their effort, commitment and belief in the system – and we’ve now all seen the results of what comes from that.  On behalf of the Academy, I want to thank Basketball England and the AoC for giving us this opportunity, the college for their continued support – and look forward to seeing what Jay and the new team are able to do in this next step up in competition”.

For players interested in joining the academy for the forthcoming season, or following year, trials take place monthly at the college and are accused by signing up here:  ACADEMY TRIALS