NCC London Lions women make history with first-ever place at National Basketball Finals

The New City College London Lions female basketball team have qualified for the AoC National Finals for the first time.

The squad of 13 talented players sealed their place after a superb performance at the regional tournament, held at Score Leisure Centre in Leyton. It is the first time a female basketball team from New City College has won through to the national finals.

The players – who study at Hackney and Havering Sixth Form campuses – will head off to the University of Nottingham from 17 to 19 April 2026 to compete in the tournament, which is the biggest Further Education sporting event in Europe and will bring together over 1,300 competitors across numerous sports, including basketball.

Head Coach Kyla Nelson said it was a phenomenal team effort: “We are very proud of our players to have made it through to the nationals for the first time! It’s fantastic news for the girls. It was a great team effort that showed their determination and talent.”

The Lions stormed through their first game with a confident win, but it was the final match – tied with just two minutes left – that truly tested their spirit. The team dug deep and showed huge resilience to secure their place at the nationals.

What makes the accomplishment even more impressive is that the players, all aged 18 and under, are still a fairly new squad, balancing different study programmes across different campuses, and coming together for just one training session per week. Yet their commitment and energy have built something special.

Kyla added:

“The girls are really enthusiastic and positive. They are committed as they can see what we are trying to build here on the women’s side of the sport. They are being given the chance for some opportunities that they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else.”

All NCC Basketball Academy athletes, including the women’s squad, benefit from the college’s elite training facility at Hackney Campus, home of the NCC London Lions Academy.

The male NCC London Lions teams also put in strong performances this year, with Havering reaching the semi-finals and Epping Forest finishing as regional runners-up.

Pathways to develop elite sportsmen and women

Young men and women across New City College can study any course at any campus – from A Levels to vocational or technical programmes – and still train as part of the NCC London Lions Basketball Academy. It means ambitious players don’t have to choose between their passion and their future career. At NCC they can excel in both.