Ipswich Basketball Club’s Women pull off huge upset by beating European champs

The two sides met in the first group game of the Super League Basketball Trophy – essentially the FA Cup for basketball – with Ipswich invited to take part after dominating the WNBL last season.

But there were big underdogs on Saturday night against the Lions, who lifted the EuroCup in front of 7,000 fans at the Copper Box Arena last term and are the reigning SLB (formerly WBBL) champions. 

And, while the Lions are much-changed outfit since last season, with new ownership and less investment, they were also facing an Ipswich side with just three players not still at school.

One of that trio, Vicky Gray, suffered a nasty ankle sprain just 13 minutes into her Ipswich debut.

However, fellow debutant Maddy Wormald wasted no time in introducing herself to her new fanbase, scoring the first eight points for Ipswich, while the other ‘senior’ player for Ipswich was three-time WNBL Division One league MVP Harriet Welham.

Welham finished the game with an impressive 31 points, continuing to make her case to the GB Senior Women’s programme for a call-up. Wormald added 19.

Ipswich led from start to finish in front of a packed Copleston, with 16-year-old debutant, Maisie Keyes making an instant impact as the team’s new starting point guard.

Young point guard Maisie Keyes impressed for Ipswich (Image: Richard Leach) Ipswich won the first period 27-22 and the second 26-12, building a lead that Lions would struggle to eat into.

Things didn’t get any better for the Lions in the third, as Ipswich extended their lead by a further ten points, taking an unexpected 80-51 leading into the game’s final period.

With the game all but won, Ipswich head coach Nick Drane was able to offer senior debuts to two more 16-year-old academy players as Angel Whyte and Kaiya Bateman took the court.

Bateman in particular shone with an incredible 14 points in just nine minutes of play, as Ipswich completed a huge upset.

Drane said: “We are under no illusions that this wasn’t the same Lions team that has been playing in recent seasons, but they are still a team full of talent and will be a competitive SLB team this season, so this was a great way for us to get our season started, and fantastic for our programme be a part of this competition.”

Ipswich turned their attention to their WNBL season opener on Sunday, hosting a much-improved Barking Abbey team.

However, behind another 30 points from Welham, and a huge 21 point 16 rebound double-double from Louisa Gibbins, Ipswich emerged victorious 85-50.