Hoop Dreams

Bristol Academy Flyers Basketball Club, currently among England’s best, will soon be among Britain’s best, says Simon Fry.
These are exceedingly exciting times for the Flyers.
Based at the WISE Basketball Arena at South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Stoke Gifford, the Flyers have come a long way since the then Filton College started its basketball programme in 2003.
The club has recently been brought into the stable of Bristol Sport Ltd, the sporting organisation backed by Bristol City’s majority shareholder Stephen Lansdown. While Bristols footballing Reds remain some way off appearing in the Premiership, their basketball-playing equivalents are looking forward to taking their place in the British Basketball League, the sports elite level, from the start of the 2014/15 season.
Before then, hopes are high for a successful 2013/14 campaign in the National Trophy, National Cup and Vcars.co.uk Division One, English basketballs top flight.
Flyers new season starts on Thursday September 12, with their traditional curtain-raiser against Team USA Select from Charlotte, North Carolina.
The visitors bring with them many fascinating back stories. Team USA Select is the brainchild of general manager Sean Kilmartin and fellow former Appalachian State University team-mate David Lawrence. The pair played in Europe in the 1980s, and made a beer buddy promise while drinking beside the Thames, in sight of Big Ben, to give others a similar opportunity by organising exposure tours for unsigned players.
One such beneficiary was seven-foot-tall Adam Simons, who signed for the Flyers in 2007 and was interviewed for Venue shortly after. Davis Bowne similarly impressed for the Select outfit and played for the Flyers between 2009-2012.
Last year Coach Kilmartin and charges took in nine European countries in one month and this September promises to be every bit as barnstorming, with players leaving the touring squad once they sign with their new club.
Rookies from establishments such as Furman University South Carolina, Tuskegee University Alabama and West Virginia Wesleyan College hope to avoid being on the plane home by impressing scouts in places such as Paris, Prague and Helsinki.
For their part the Flyers will be keen to chart their young guns progress. 17-year-olds Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and Tamas Okros have returned from a successful European Championship with the England U18s, while the USA game will also see the debut of the Flyers new Lithuanian signing Aistis Keliauskas, a UWE student coming to Bristol after playing professionally in Italy.

USA Select Players lead teams to Finals!

It is not unusual for alumni of USA Select Basketball to lead their teams to Championships. However it is very exciting when USA Select players run into each other during their playing careers as we have a lot of players in Europe. However, it is always very exciting when we see USA Select players competing with each other for Championships! In the most resent example, USA Select Alum R. B. Clyburn has lead his Killamarsh Derbyshire Arrows , coached by long time friend, Pete Kelly to the Championship round of England’s prestigious Patron’s Cup. They will face off against the Bristol Fliers and USA Select players; Doug McLaughlin-Williams and Davis Bowne!
To reach the semi finals, Killamarsh Derbyshire Arrows host London Westside for the second time this season and Sunday’s game will see the loser eliminated from the Patrons Cup. RB Clyburn poured in an 34 points and 14 rebounds.
The duo of Bowne and McLaughlin-Williams pose a serious threat, as these two highly skilled players are former Appalachian State University (NCAA Division 1) stars who are both 6’8″!
In any case, USA Select basketball will be well represented, good luck guys!

USA Select European Exposure Tour player Jimmy Langhurst is one of the BBL Scoring leaders!

Congratulations to Jimmy Langhurst (USA Select Exposure Tour 12011), Jimmy is now among the top scorers in the British Basketball League. Jimmy, a former Robert Morris University standout, is a multitalented point guard who was picked up during the European Exposure Tour by the Sheffield Sharks of the top league in England. Jimmy is averaging a respectable 17.5 points per game!

Former USA Select player, now coach, signs USA Select player!

Ryan Patton, a long time professional and perennial All Star, just signed with Sheffield Sharks of the BBL. He was signed by former USA Select player, now turned coach, Atiba Lyons!

According to Eurobasket: ” One Health Sharks Sheffield have announced a change in their roster with the release of big man Justin Dobbins and replacing him with the signing of former Sharks guard Ryan Patton.

The decision to release Dobbins was a difficult one for Head Coach Atiba Lyons, but under the circumstances and based on overall recent performances it was felt that the guard position needed to be addressed.

Patton, the 6’0′ former sharks general has agreed to come back to the club that he enjoyed back to back BBL Cup successes with in his previous tenure. Despite a hiatus for the first part of the season the club and player remained on good terms, and Patton became the natural choice.

‘I am pleased to have Ryan back in the squad, he brings so much to a team on and off the court, obviously it would have been better to have had him in from the start but we can only look forward now,’ said Lyons. ‘I think with everyone playing and healthy we have a good look for the playoffs but we will continue to take it game by game.’

USA Select Players lighting up the stats!

A quick review of the top players in two countries (England Division 2 and Wales) shows USA Select European Exposure Tour 2011 products dominating! Way to go guys!

Also listed in the stats leaders are the sons of USA Select friend Steve Williams, Rhys Williams and Owen Williams are averaging league leading 4.33 assists per game each for the Glamorgan Gladiators!

Johnnie Jefferson averaging 17.4 points in Ireland!

Johnnie Jefferson, a product of the USA Select 2011 European Exposure Tour has put up some very respectable stats in Ireland’s top league (Super league) for the UL Eagles enough to put him in the top 10 in the league (7th). Jefferson, a 6’4″ combo guard, was on the 2011 Exposure Tour and was offered a contract in the middle of a tournament in Ireland. he played 2 games for the USA Select “Red” team and was offered contract after the second game and he suited up with is new team later that same day!

Life Lessons: Ryan Kilmartin

From the dojo to Thompson-Boling, Ryan Kilmartin is soaking it all up

For Ryan Kilmartin, the chance to walk on to the Tennessee basketball team was a dream come true. After spending a year at Appalachian State, the Charlotte, N.C., native never dreamed he’d be at a high-major Division I program.

But rewind a few years and that feeling gets magnified.

In the sixth grade, Kilmartin went out for the middle school basketball team. However he was cut and did not make the roster. But he was more determined the next year and went out for the team again.

Cut, again.

Even more determined than before, Kilmartin went out for the team in eighth grade. But the fate was the same. Cut, again.

Ninth grade: same deal. But prior to going out for the team his sophomore year in high school, Kilmartin hit a growth spurt and his basketball career would never be the same. He continued to work and made the team as a sophomore and he started every game from there on out.

Most kids would not have continued to come back year after year. However, an experience from Kilmartin’s past would not allow him to quit.

“I think it’s a mentality from when I did tae kwon do when I was younger,” Kilmartin said. “It’s instilled in you not to quit. Don’t fear anything, you can accomplish anything. That was a big part of my life. No matter what it is, I just have a really hard time quitting anything.

“Once you quit one thing, it makes it easier to quit the next time.”

Kilmartin started tae kwon do when he was six-years-old by mere chance. While waiting at a pizza restaurant, Kilmartin and his younger brother noticed a dojo nearby.

“We noticed the studio next door and said, `What’s going on in there? That looks pretty cool,’” Kilmartin said. “There was a unity about it and I felt like I should do it. It definitely helped me to get where I am today.”

The fit was instant and before long, Kilmartin was raking in trophies on his way to a No. 1 world ranking in his age group. He won junior Olympic titles, North Carolina state titles and, because his mother is Welsh, he even worked out with the British Olympic team.

“The whole experience was incredible,” Kilmartin said. “I had so many great opportunities but really the best part was the respect that I learned. I learned to respect people and how to treat people.”

That lessons Kilmartin learned from tae kwon do are still affecting him today. Many of them are helpful when he is on the hardwood.
“That respect helped me early to learn whatever the coach says goes,” Kilmartin said. “Coach Martin knows better than me what I should be doing out there. Everything he tells us on the basketball court correlates to real life. He is teaching us about basketball but also about life.”
From the dojo to Thompson-Boling Arena, Kilmartin is soaking up life’s lessons.

Source – http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/122011aaf.html

USA Select Basketball General Manager Sean Kilmartin is proud to announce, brothers Ryan Kilmartin ( Appalachian State University) and Alex Kilmartin (Charlotte Catholic High School) named to Wales national Under 20 team for FIBA competition.

The FIBA European Championships will hold the Under 20 division in Malta in July 2010. Ryan, a 6’4″ wing is a Freshman on the NCAA Division 1 Appalachian State University team that won 24 games this year and won the Southern Conference North Division Title under head Coach Buzz Peterson. Ryan, a muscular guard, can get to the rim and has a fast release on his shot brings athleticism and NCAA experience to the wing position.

Alex, a 6’7″ 220 lb wing / forward brings intriguing match up challenges, as he has guard skills, abiltiy to handle the ball and pass as well as a very deep range on his jump shot but a large frame for inside opportunities. Alex completed a very successful high school season under the tutelage of Coach Mike King.
Both young men have played for Wales in the past, but this is the first time they will be teammates. They are eligible to play for Wales in the European Championships as their mother, Jane Kilmartin was born in Wales (and represented Wales in the Miss Universe contest in 1984). Both young men hold British passports.

This squad will play in the Cheshire Jets tournament on 3rd & 4th April. The squad will train alongside the Senior Men in some sessions, and then work towards a European tournament this summer.
Following the two weekend trials we held in Cardiff, this is the U20 squad list:
Lloyd Williams (Glamorgan Gladiators)
Lloyd Davies (Barry Huskies)
Zach Daniels (Cardiff Celts)
Michael Hinchliffe (Cheshire Jets)
Jimmy Bower (Gloster Jets)
Glyn Davies (Taunton Tigers)
Alex Kilmartin (Charlotte High School USA)
Ryan Kilmartin (Appalachian State Uni. USA)
Jared Adams (Guildford Heat)
Paul Kilkelly (North Wales Tropics)
Alexander Ryan (Oxford Brookes)
Christian Doidge (ABC Gwent)
Lawrence Evans (Cardiff Capitals)
Connor Sugden (Oxford Brookes)
Jimmy Thomas (Swansea Storm)
Ben Thomas (Gran Canarias)
U20
Head Coach: Mike Burton

USA Select’s Davis Browne named National Cup MVP!

Most Valuable Player Davis Browne (203-C-84, college: Appalachian St.), Bristol Academy Flyers
12 points, 13 rebounds
Bowne is a product of USA Select Basketball.

With an ending that rivals any basketball game from this season, the Bristol Academy Flyers won their first major trophy after defeating the Manchester Magic 63-61 in overtime.

In a highly defensive battle that saw a lot of shots taken and few drop, the Flyers and Magic gave the Sheffield crowd something to shout about as time ticked away in the fourth quarter.

With the score locked at 55, Stefan Gill’s floater gave the Magic a two point lead with just over a minute remaining. A series of misses at both ends followed until, with two seconds left, Bristol’s (another USA Select product) Doug McLaughlin-Williams pulled up for a three but was fouled by the Magic’s Yann Fasbender. The result was three free throws for McLaughlin-Williams, with all pressure on the Bristol forward.

The travelling Bristol faithful were left with their hearts in their throats as the American missed his first, but he regained composure to sink the last two leaving the game tied at 57.

Coach Jeff Jones called timeout with just enough time to run an inbounds play from the halfway mark. An almost perfectly executed lob pass was sent to Gill, but he rimmed out forcing the extra period.

Youngster Josh Houghton made up for a couple of missed threes in the final minute of the fourth as he drove with the left hand to open the overtime scoring. Bowne replied nearly two minutes later to level, but Gill’s 28th point at the minute and a half mark gave the Magic a 61-59 lead.

Bristol’s Anthony Berry (200-C-78) was sent to the line by Lee Goldsbrough, where he converted one of two, but the Flyers regained possession and Berry’s hook in the paint gave them the 62-61 lead. Houghton missed from long range at the other end leaving the Magic forced to foul Jack Stannard, whose one of two free throws was enough to secure the win.

Bristol Academy Flyers coach Andreas Kapoulas was a delighted man:

‘Winning the National Cup is a major milestone in our club’s history,’ he said. ‘It is such a great achievement and a huge recognition for our players, supporters, coaches and Bristol basketball in general. I am so proud of our players’ commitment, work ethic and determination. They really deserve this recognition.’

‘The win was a product of our hard work and demonstrated the depth and toughness our team possesses. I am so happy to be part of this group. The Cup means a lot to the Flyers and Bristol basketball. We now hope to continue our success in the league campaign.

‘I would like to thank our sponsors Big Tall Order, DTM LTD, Yaskin Sports and Initially Yours for the support they have given us. Most importantly, though, I would like to thank Filton College and the Principal Kevin Hamblin who have been vital to our success and the rise to the top of English Basketball.’

USA Select Player Reggie Bratton is Player of the Month and USA Select Player/Coach Atiba Lyons in Coach of the Month in the British Basketball League

Worthing Thunder guard Reggie Bratton has scooped the Molten BBL Player of the Month Award for January, whilst Sheffield Sharks player-coach Atiba Lyons is the Molten BBL Coach of the Month, for the second time this season.
Bratton, who signed straight out of college, ( a product of USA Select Basketball) to the Thunder this year, Bratton has taken the BBL by storm, having just overtaken last month s Molten BBL Player of the Month, Mike Cook, in scoring. He currently averages 26.5 points per game, and over the month of January, averaged 24.33 points per outing, in 34 minutes per game for Dave Titmuss side.
Titmuss said the following on this accolade being awarded to one of his star players: I am delighted for him; he has clearly established himself in this league. For somebody coming from a Division Two school into the professional game, it shows the commitment and professionalism that he has, which is no doubt a big part of why he has won this award. The veteran coach also emphasised the influence that the 6 4 shooting guard has on the boards: Although it is his scoring that gets him noticed, I think that his rebounding has been underestimated he had eleven rebounds against Sheffield on Saturday for example he added.
Atiba Lyons , also a product of USA Select Basketball, has continued to enjoy his second season in the coaching game, as player-coach to the Sharks, and he coached them to a 5-1 record over the month of January, the highlight being a BBL Cup crown, thanks to an 89-86 victory over Cheshire Jets. Lyons said: I am pleased to receive this award, and it s a great reflection on the team s consistency and continuing positive attitude. It s important that we keep playing together in order to do well.