Derby Trailblazers U18 Men will be in the national spotlight on Saturday night as they contest the Sureshot Men’s National Cup Final at the University of Worcester. Tipping off at 18:00, the Blazers face a formidable challenge in the defending champions, CoLA Southwark Pride, who secured last season’s title with a 67-62 victory over Charnwood Riders.
For Derby, this fixture marks a second appearance in the final in three years. The group will be determined to go one step further than in 2024, when they finished as runners-up following an 80-68 loss to Islington Panthers. Head coach Jake Chapman believes the squad is ready for the challenge, noting that reaching this stage has required a huge effort from the whole group. He expressed immense pride in how everyone has played their part, adding that representing the Trailblazers on a national stage with the fans behind them is something the team is incredibly proud of.
Much of Derby’s success in the competition this season has been driven by the reigning EABL North Player of the Year, Casey Burr. Burr famously piled in forty-seven points in the quarter-final win over Milton Keynes before the Trailblazers booked their place in the final with a gritty 58-54 semi-final victory over Reading Rockets. Despite being only sixteen years old, Burr has displayed maturity beyond his years, regularly contributing points and rebounds for Derby’s senior men in the British Championship Basketball, where he has already earned a start and is often the first rotation off the bench.
The Blazers have been steadily building their reputation and currently hold an 8-3 record in the North Premier division. However, they face a CoLA side that remains undefeated with a 14-0 record in the East Premier division, boasting an average winning margin of 34.8 points per game. Several Pride players bring NBL Division One experience to the court, including forward Toby Gass, who averages 18.8ppg in the EABL. Teammates Daniel and David Banjoko, along with Andrew Nwokolo, have followed similar multi-competition paths and are expected to be major contributors.
Aside from Burr’s scoring threat, Derby will look to captain Jarom Howlett to guide the team toward a first-ever U18 National Cup title. Howlett shared his coach’s sentiment regarding the squad’s unity, stating that the team has worked hard all year to earn this position. He noted that regardless of individual scoring tallies or court time, the group has shown the maturity required to deserve their current success.
The respect is mutual between the two finalists. CoLA’s Andrew Nwokolo described the final as a reward for collective hard work, acknowledging Derby as a talented opponent. He noted that while Pride will be well-prepared both offensively and defensively, it remains a privilege to play in these high-stakes games.
Saturday’s game is a 6:00 pm tip-off at the University of Worcester, and the action can be watched live via CLICK ME!
