Preston Basketball Club forms alliance with UCLan to boost community sport

Preston Basketball Club has joined forces with UCLan to develop the sport within the local community.

Preston Basketball Club (PBC) and the University of Central Lancashire formed the official partnership to realise ambitious plans for growing the sport in Preston.

The partnership will see PBC use UCLan’s Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre as its home venue, with a key aim of attracting spectators to the games.

PBC’s senior men’s team currently plays in National Basketball League Division Three but is attempting to break into National Basketball League Division One, with the UCLan link playing an integral part.

Preston Basketball Club treasurer Andrew Thrower said: “Since lockdown restrictions lifted, we’ve seen a big increase in members, so this is the perfect time to take our ambitions to the next level.

“As partners, we can achieve great things together and hopefully build up a popular community following by playing at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre in front of a crowd. Our aim is to make the club as professional as possible, and I am confident we can achieve this through our relationship with UCLan.”

The club will work closely with UCLan’s Men’s Basketball Club, with players from both teams able to train and play together in both the National and British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Leagues.

As part of this relationship, the teams will share coaching and facilities resources, benefitting from match analysis, fitness and conditioning, sports therapy and match media reports, all provided by UCLan students keen to gain practical, hands-on experience.

Dr Adrian Ibbetson, Director of Sport at UCLan, said: “We’re delighted to establish this close working relationship with Preston Basketball Club, which will hopefully provide a platform for the sport to develop in the local community and boost the standard of play at the university.

“In particular, it will allow our sports scholarship programme to flourish in this more professional set-up and provide the ideal environment for the many students on sports-related courses to gain work experience and develop their skills.”

Preston Basketball Club’s first home game at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre will take place on 25 September at 2.00pm in a cup-tie against St Helen’s Saints, followed by the first league game on 10 October against Tameside at 2.00pm, also at home.

Entry for spectators is free, and there is no need to book.

For more information, visit – https://www.prestonbasketball.com/

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