3rd Makenna Williams Memorial Game looks to continue legacy in Ipswich

The Makenna Williams Memorial Game returns for its third instalment next week at Copleston Sports Centre, Ipswich.

The game was created to honour the memory of former Ipswich Basketball Club youth player Makenna Williams, who tragically passed away in June 2022.

The rosters for the game include an impressive array of stars from across the British game, and some of the very best players past and present to have passed through the Ipswich ranks. This year’s lineup is headlined by National League Legends Harriet Welham and Sam Newman, who will captain the two teams, with the likes of Veron Eze and Liv Forster also making an appearance.

The event follows a unique format that sees Senior Men, Senior Women and the ‘Future Stars’ all play in turn, to showcase the club's ‘past, present and future’. Players as young as eleven will suit up against their peers, and get to line up on the same team as some of their idols, demonstrating the culture of Ipswich Basketball Club, that goes above and beyond when it comes to building a ‘Family’ for their members to feel part of. This year, sees recently retired legend Lee Linton-Hodges, swaps the hardwood for a coaching board, as the big man makes his coaching debut, assisted by long standing IBC servant Abbie Yorke. Meanwhile on the opposite sideline, club Head Coach Nick Drane will again be calling the plays, but will quite possibly be upstaged by his assistant coach on the day, Alfie Morris-Sanders.

Speaking ahead of the event, Club Head Coach Drane said: 

"We vowed that Ipswich Basketball Club would play our part in ensuring that Makenna will never be forgotten. No promise has ever been more important to keep. The first two memorial game’s were such special occasion’s for everyone involved with our club, and most importantly for Makenna’s family. We were able to raise funds, and more importantly awareness of mental heath and the challenges many of us face. We have worked hard in providing training for our members to continue to raise that awareness and we will be doing even more in 2025/26”

"The club's love for Makenna will live on forever”.

This year's event will, once again, be held at Copleston Sports Centre on Thursday 28^th August, with a tip off time of 6.30pm, with a post-game reception at the Forge Kitchen for over 18s.

Even if you're unable to make it to the game, you can click the button below to donate to the GoFundMe page set up in honour of this year's event: https://gofund.me/14d411c2

The game will be live streamed on the Ipswich Basketball YouTube Channel.