With the National Basketball Championship Finals being cancelled in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, Newham’s St Bonaventure’s has been declared double champions.

Newham Recorder: St Bonaventure's under-14sSt Bonaventure's under-14s (Image: Archant)

And it allows the Forest Gate school to continue a proud tradition in the competition, given their success in recent years.

Coach Stephen Onireti said: “I’m very pleased to say that St Bon’s are once again national champions or should I say co-champions in both the National Schools’ under-14 boys and under-16 premier competitions.

“The unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in means we are having to share the title with St Aloysius School in the under-14 boys’ competition and Shoeburyness High School in the under-16 boys’ competition.

“I had every confidence we would have been crowned overall winners if those matches took place. It has been a good year for the St Bon’s basketball programme, we were able to get two teams to the national finals. This is a tremendous achievement for the school and our boys.

“Knowing we are co-champions in the under-14 and under-16 competitions due to Covid-19 is special. The efforts that went into getting to the final is what we will be celebrating.

“I’m extremely proud of the teams and our coaching staff who have taken the time out of their busy schedule to help get the teams to the finals. This makes it St Bon’s 15th national title – a tremendous achievement from a school located in one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK.”