Not for the first time in recent years, the Endeavour Ipswich Basketball Club Senior
Men’s Team have had something of a reset. With that being said, the team will be coached and led by some familiar faces, who recognize the responsibility that being at the sharp end of the traditionally very successful boys and men’s programme brings with it.
Newly re-appointed Head Coach Adam Robinson returns to the hot seat having
previously led the team from 2019 to 2022. During that period of time that showed
such promise, it is often easy to forget that Coach Robinson led the team within a
whisker of promotion to Division One, before the Global Pandemic meant their
charge up the table in 2019/2020 was cut short. The following season never
happened, which creates one of the great unanswered questions in recent Ipswich
Basketball history, as with much of that same roster returning, who knows what could have been achieved – we will never know. Robinson’s final season in charge was 2021/22, a season in which a number of the teams senior players left halfway
through the season – leading to a several academy players being fast tracked into
senior basketball… Players that have since gone on to represent Great Britain and
earn scholarships to play College Basketball in America.
Joining Coach on the sidelines is former Ipswich junior and academy player Joel
Keeble. Joel has vast experience in the game and makes the transition into coaching with the team. Another new face will be Team Manager Simon Wood, who will ensure all the teams off court affairs are up to standard and the teams is as professional as it can possibly be.
On the playing side, returning to the team is Ipswich Basketball Club legend Lee
Linton-Hodges, who in his own words says he’s “In the best shape of his life”, a
daunting prospect for the big men in NBL Division Two South. Also returning to the line up to join the big fella are established players Aaron Williams, Johhny McKey and AJ Vega – the three most recent recipients of the prestigious Senior Men’s MVP award, an award Linton-Hodges has also won four times.
Joining this established group of seniors will be new recruits Ellis Haggith, Angus
Hill, Anthony Vincent, Hamza Al-Hamadi and Jamie Hayes as well as former
academy player Ahmeed Yusoof, who returns to the programme after three years at University in Coventry. Filling out the rest of the roster will be academy players – with Coach Robinson keen to show that young players will be given an opportunity to be involved at senior level. Harry Laws, Charlie Smythe, Robbie Cruickshanks, Fin Morgan, Richmond Ese, Matt Liddamore and 16 year old Tim Rafiu have all been invited into training camp.
Robinson isn’t throwing around wild predictions ahead of the season “It’s difficult to gauge the level year on year in NBL Division Two, but we have a great mixture of youth and experience and some players that have played at a really high level – not least our Captain Lee, who is in unbelievable shape and, despite now being the
teams elder statesman, will be one of the toughest match-up’s for teams in this
league”.
Captain Linton-Hodges added “The first thing we need to establish is our culture.
This men’s team has a responsibility to provide the young boys and men in this club is a set of role models and a team that they should want to aspire to play for – that’s our first job. Longer term, we want to be winning games and competing for championships and promotion to Division One”.
“It's clear that the leadership of this team has it’s sights set on not only short term
success, but what’s best for Ipswich Basketball Club long term. We want those
bleachers filled with youngsters that are inspired to follow in the footsteps of the
players on this team” added Robinson.
It’s is an exciting time in the Ipswich boys and men’s programme, with a number of
junior players involved with national teams and the future is looking bright.
The Senior Men were set to tip off their season this previous Sunday, however a late cancellation from the opponents NASSA has meant the curtain raiser will have to wait. The season fixtures can be viewed below, with season tickets available all senior games – email office@ipswichbasketball.co.uk for more details.
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