Junior Sharks take on Basketball Stars from America

At the Olympics, the American Dream Team will play with a mission to show that the gold medal for basketball belongs in America. On Saturday August 16, at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield at 3pm, the New England Colonials, a basketball selection team from the various states of New England, will also be keen to show the supremacy of American basketball. Last year at the prestigious Flanders tournament in Belgium, the Sheffield Junior Sharks were the only team to inflict defeat on the Americans during their tour through Europe, which included Berlin and Stockholm. The Colonials now come to Sheffield, intent on revenge, bringing with them some of the most exciting players from New England. Point guard Naadir Tharpe, forward Dominique Bull and big man Tyler Olander are all already being recruited by big American Universities and they’ll be keen to show the Junior Sharks that America is the home of basketball.
The Sheffield Juniors Sharks U18s come with quite a pedigree of their own, winning plenty of national titles the last two years, and have players just returning from playing for England at the European championships. Leading the Junior Sharks will be big man Will Hall and point guard Nigel van Oostrum. Nigel will be playing his last game in a Junior Sharks vest, after accepting a scholarship in America at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania. It is also the final game for James Anderson, who will play at the Gran Canaria basketball academy this season. From last year’s U16 national champions, point guard sensation Calvin Morant-Hudson and defensive terrier Mykel Moodie will be keen to show their U18 credentials.
The game will be a big promotion for bringing the American and British basketball worlds together. With basketball legend Mike Shaft doing live game commentary at the EIS, the game will be an opportunity to show the best of both worlds. Entry is only £1 at the door.

The New England Colonials and Sheffield Junior Sharks at the Flanders Tournament in Belgium, August 2007