Mid-Season Review - A look back at the season so far

As the National League Basketball Season gets ready for the second half of the season, which tips off today, it’s time for the Ipswich Basketball Club mid-season round up…

Both of our u14 teams have made positive starts to the season, with the boys team sitting on nine wins from nine games in East Conference II, with Anthony Agabi and Jacob Geaves often sitting near the top of the scoring charts. The girls have a 3-6 record in the South Premier, with two of their own players filling up the stats with Freya Drane and Natalia Lawicka having standout seasons, combining for nearly sixty points per game.

In the u16 age groups, it’s been a difficult first half of the season for our boys, who are sitting on just one win, despite some outstanding play from Eli Leach. However, with some new additions and some obvious development from this group, there is clear optimism ahead of the second half of the season. Meanwhile the girls have a 4-5 record, and are very much in the mix for a playoff push, with a number of key match ups on our home court in the second half of the season, we are set for an exciting run in. The girls are being led by their young core of Rosie Smythe, Amelia Ariyo and Natalia Lawicka, who is top scoring in two age groups.

At the u18 level, the boys have been on the receiving end of some tough losses. At their best they are competiting with the best teams in the league, but have also suffered some disappointing losses. The season ending injury to Jaziah Mussington, the team’s leading scorer certainly has not helped. On the girls side, it’s been business as usual for the club with the u18 women sitting on just one loss, suffered when many of our u18 women were on duty with the senior women's team. With a ticket already booked for the national cup final (the fifth time in six years), all roads appear to be pointing in the direction of another positive season.

At the senior level, the women again find themselves in the mix at the business end of the WNBL Division One table, sitting in fourth place having battled an unprecedented number of injuries in the first half of the season. Harriet Welham has been her usual outstanding self, in the top five in the league in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Young academy stars Angel Whyte, Holly Ensoll and Kaiya Bateman have all stepped up into extended roles while Danni Cazey’s retirement lasted just one game before she was back in blue and playing some phenomenal basketball. New additions Hailey Counsell and Josefine Reumert have also been key contributors while Liv Partridge is back with the club and playing well. Fit again Maisie Keyes has also played some outstanding basketball since her return.

For the men, they are sitting in second place in the league with two narrow losses to Oaklands the only blemishes on their record in NBL Division Two. AJ Vega has been leading the charge for Ipswich with numerous high scoring games, while Jake Eynon, Luke Mascall-Wright and Ellis Haggith continue to provide high-level veteran experience to a group that have brought excitement to many Copleston crowds in late 2025.

The club are back in action today, on Saturday 3^rd January 2026, and with the U18 Women in the national cup final in just three weeks, its time to start thinking about booking transport and getting those tickets organised. Book here: https://basketballengland.co.uk/news/national-cup-finals-line-up-almost-set---get-your-tickets-for-worcester-now When booking your tickets for the final, please use this code: EINCF as Ipswich Basketball Club will receive a 25% kick back for anyone using this code.

2025 saw three national titles make their way to Ipswich - here’s to an equally great 2026!!