Derby College Group celebrates Silver success At AoC National Finals

Derby College Group’s (DCG) Derby Trailblazers Girls Basketball Academy are celebrating a magnificent achievement after claiming the silver medal at the prestigious Association of Colleges (AoC) National Finals, held at the University of Nottingham.

The two-day competition saw the team deliver an outstanding performance, finishing the weekend with a remarkable 5-1 record. After an unbeaten run, with victories over City of Stoke College, Leyton College, Farnborough College and Richard Huish College, Derby entered Sunday’s games as joint leaders.

The team had a tense game against Hills Road College, winning 8-6 thanks to a resilient defensive display. That set up a thrilling final showdown against fellow unbeaten side Xaverian College. In a fiercely contested match, Derby narrowly missed out on the gold, with Xaverian clinching a 23-18 victory.

The result secured a fantastic second place in the country for the Derby Trailblazers Girls Academy, a huge testament to the players' hard work, teamwork, and determination throughout the tournament.

Paul Bowen, Coach and Teacher of Sport at Derby College Group, said: "I couldn’t be prouder of this group of players. They showed incredible character, resilience, and togetherness across the weekend, and to come away as national silver medallists is a brilliant achievement. This is a fantastic reflection of the talent we have within the Academy and the ongoing commitment from everyone involved."

Derby College Group offered congratulations to players Grace, Hannah, Hollie-Leigh, Lily, Praise, and Ruby on their outstanding success, and thanked all staff and supporters who made the event possible.

The Derby Trailblazers Basketball Academy programme gives aspiring young basketballers the opportunity to develop their basketball skills while studying academic qualifications to enhance their career prospects.

More details can be found here.