Noah Wilkinson commits to Erie Prep Postgraduate Programme

Endeavour Ipswich Basketball Club and Copleston Basketball Academy guard Noah Wilkinson has committed to the Erie Prep Postgraduate Programme for the 2026/2027 season.

The Class of 2027 combo guard has opted to pursue a postgraduate year in the United States rather than immediately accepting the college offers he has received, with the aim of becoming physically stronger and fully adapting to the U.S. style of play ahead of entering college basketball.

Having progressed through the Essex Rebels junior programme at U14 and U16 level, Noah enjoyed a breakout 2023/24 season where he averaged 16.6 points per game and was named MVP. He has since continued his development with Copleston Basketball Academy U19s in the Elite Academy Basketball League (EABL) and Eastern Premier U18s, while also representing both Essex County and Suffolk County.

In addition to his on-court development, Noah is also part of the DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) programme supported by Basketball England, reflecting his commitment to high-performance training alongside his academic studies. Remarkably, Noah has only been playing basketball for four and a half years, having transitioned from elite trampolining, where he was the Eastern Region Champion, before committing fully to basketball. His rapid rise through the domestic pathway highlights not only his athletic background but also his work ethic, coachability, and long-term commitment to growth.

Erie Prep will offer Noah the opportunity to prepare for the physicality, pace, and spacing of the U.S. college game. Competing in a 40-game national schedule, the programme mirrors the demands of a collegiate season and provides extensive exposure to college coaches across the NCAA and NAIA landscape. The decision to take a postgraduate year reflects a strategic and long-term approach to Noah’s development, allowing him to mature physically, refine his game, and position himself to make an immediate impact at the next level.

Noah has just completed his time at Copleston Basketball Academy, based in Ipswich and in partnership with Endeavour Ipswich Basketball Club, one of the leading academies within the England Development Programme (EDP). The academy has become a proven pathway for players aspiring to compete at the highest levels of the game, and Noah now follows in the footsteps of other Copleston and Ipswich athletes who have gone on to pursue opportunities in the United States.

“Noah has developed tremendously during his time with us here at Copleston and Ipswich. he mas made a huge contribution both on and off the court and his rapid development leads me to believe that he will adjust accordingly to basketball at the next level”. Said Copleston and Ipswich Head Coach Nick Drane.

On committing to Erie Prep, Noah said: “I would firstly like to say how blessed I am to have been given this opportunity by God, and how if it wasn’t His will, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I want to thank my family for supporting me through this whole process and always being behind me on my journey in basketball. My dad has been my biggest help and has always believed in me, and my mum has been the best support I could ever ask for. I can count on one hand how many of my games they have missed because they have been there for almost every single one.

I want to say a huge thank you to all my coaches at Copleston, with Coach Drane, Coach Welham and Coach Kelly all playing a massive role in my player and character development. They have taught me how to get better at basketball and, more importantly, how to be a better person than I was when I first joined in September 2024. I would also like to thank all the teaching staff at Copleston Sixth Form who have helped me in my academics and supported me on my journey as a student-athlete.

I would also like to thank my coaches from Essex Rebels, and a special thank you to Coach Luke Busumbru, who had belief in me and pushed me out of my comfort zone, doing everything he could for that U16s team whilst also having his own D1 men’s season to worry about. He is such an inspiration to me because of how well he carries himself on and off the court and how he remained professional the whole time, as well as being extremely talented.

I also want to thank Coaches Tom Sadler, Paul Coote and Jules Keeling for being a big influence in my early years as a player.

Lastly, I would like to thank Coach Briski and Coach Daniels for placing their trust in me and giving me the opportunity to join Erie Prep Academy next season. I am truly honoured to have been given this opportunity and life experience, and I’m excited to continue developing both on and off the court. I know that during my time there, they will help me grow as a player and allow me to play and learn as much basketball as possible.

I was fortunate to have other college offers, but I felt that Erie Prep was the right choice for my development at this stage of my journey.

I’m excited for what the future holds and grateful for everyone who has helped me along the way.”