NEW College Swindon’s inclusive zone basketball team claimed a bronze medal at a national competition held in the Worcester Arena earlier in the month.

The team received their medals from Sophie, Countess of Wessex, magnifying the achievement even more, especially considering the New College programme has only been running for a year.

Inclusive zone basketball (IZB) comprises of four players, two able-body players and two wheelchair players.

The court is divided into zones,to allow for abilities to matched in those parameters.

New College attended the IZB (Inclusive Zone Basketball) Regionals schools competition on Tuesday, 18th March at Writhlington School in Radstock Somerset. They played a round robin tournament against Commonweal School Swindon, Ralph Allen Bristol, Fosse Way Bristol and Writhlington School Radstock. New College won all four matches and competed at the National Finals at Worcester Arena on Wednesday, May 7.

The New College team drew 0-0 against Tudor Grange Academy of West Midlands, beat Halewood Academy from Liverpool of 5-0, and drew 7-7 against Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knight Academy from Lewisham but progressed from their group on goal average.

Up against New College Pontefract in the semi-final Swindon lost 20-2 as an outstanding individual performance from a Pontefract player dominated the game.

In the third-place play-off New College took on Springfield High from King’s Lynn winning the game 11-6.