After almost 3 years of hard work, dedication and numerous postponements due to Covid-19, the 16 FIMBA GB teams along with the GB Masters Basketball Association finally made it to Malaga for the XI European Championships from 24th June – 3rd July 2022.
It was great to be back competing after having this event postponed since 2020. As well as our own 16 teams, I was happy to endorse another 8 teams making 24 teams representing GB.
Nicky Shaw – FIMBA GB Lead Delegate
For a debut nation they performed exceptionally well, with the 240 members of FIMBA GB playing in 79 games and bringing home 5 medals and 11 Top 10 finishes, including an impressive Silver medal for the o40 Men, led by Coach Neil MacElduff.
It was the o70 Men who won Great Britain’s first ever European Medal, narrowly losing their semi-final to Germany 55-51, before defeating Italy in the Bronze medal match, 41-49. This was quickly followed up by another Bronze medal for the o35 Men, snatching a last minute win over Spain 47-48. Iron medals (awarded to 4th place finishes) were also earned by o35 Women and o55 Women.
The crowning moment came from the o40 Men, nicknamed the GB Wolfpack, as they showed what a tight nit group of players they are both on and off, from aqua aerobics in the pool to dominant group stage wins, including against hotly tipped Spain who boasted two ex-NBA players. The semi-final was a tough game against the other GB team, with FIMBA GB taking the narrowest of victories, 79-78 before heading to the final against World Champions, Italy. Despite a large GB fan following, injuries picked up in the semi-final proved the difference as they lost out 74-59.
They dug deep in the final against Italy, however missing a couple of players to injury was devastating but silver medal was just the beginning for this team.
Coach Mac – FIMBA GB o40 Head Coach
Final Positions:-
o35 Women – 4TH place (Iron Medal), Lisa Roberts 13ppg (6th)
o40 Women – 8th place
o45 Women – 8th place
o50 Women – 6th place
o55 Women – 4th place (Iron Medal), Samantha Parry 8.4ppg (9th)
o60 Women – 5th place, Jaqueline Alvina Rhodes 11.4ppg (1st)
o35 Men – 3rd place (Bronze Medal), Lawrence Brown 14.7ppg (4th); Michael Lewis 14.5ppg (5th)
o40 Men – 2nd place (Silver Medal), Steven Gayle 35.2ppg (1st – FIMBA record 51 points vs Slovenia); Marcus Knight 12.8ppg (8th)
o45 Men – 12th place
o50 Men – 14th place
o55 Men Plus – 11th place
o55 Men Herons – 13th place
o60 Men – 6th place
o65 Men – 9th place
o70 Men – 3rd place (Bronze Medal), Thomas Campbell 19.8ppg (2nd)
#thegameneverstops will always be motto for FIMBA GB and GB Masters Basketball Association, anyone wanting to get involved please contact admin@fimba-gb.com
