BRENT S boys basketball team came within a whisker of reaching the London Youth Games after winning two of their three qualifying matches on Sunday. The team, who are managed by London Capital player Ibrahim Gariba, faced tough opposition from Lambeth, R

BRENT'S boys' basketball team came within a whisker of reaching the London Youth Games after winning two of their three qualifying matches on Sunday.

The team, who are managed by London Capital player Ibrahim Gariba, faced tough opposition from Lambeth, Richmond and Greenwich at the Score Centre in Leyton.

Lambeth finished last year's competition in third place so, although Brent fought for every point, it was no real surprise that the south Londoners ran out winners 34-11.

However the Brent boys took heart from their gutsy display and put in two superb performances to win their final two games comfortably, although it was not quite enough to send them through into the quarter-finals.

Brent's recently formed girls' team competed in the qualifiers on Saturday, with many of their players experiencing a large scale tournament for the first time.

They put their all into their first game against an experienced Hounslow team but were defeated, although they quickly rallied to clinch victory against Hammersmith and Fulham.

That left them one game away from the quarter-finals, but it was Bexley who came out on top to thwart Brent from making the Youth Games at the first attempt.

Brent boys: George Mesish-Pix, Jake Shutter-Ross, Ashley Payne-Reid, Mohammed El-Khalifah, Isaac El-Khalifah, Anthony Charles, Tyrone Williams, Mahmud Ndanusa, Nishil Samani, Lou-Andrew Rodriguez, James Vistro, Dario Wisdom, Luciano Pitaniello. Team Manager: Ibrahim Gariba.

Brent girls: Elisabeth Ntim-Addae, Aisosa Osazeinde-Irabor, Rishmai Barrow, Shanice St Louis, Aisha McPherson, Latifah Kellman-Mercedes. Team Manager: Errol Jarrett.