Squad book trip to Crystal Palace

Hackney’s girls booked their place at the London Youth Games basketball finals with an impressive display at their qualifying event.

Comfortable group wins over Enfield (35-1), Redbridge (31-6), Tower Hamlets (26-3) and Hounslow (19-9) saw them top the pile with maximum points.

And Hackney then saw off Croydon (24-16) in the quarter-finals, leading 12-9 at half time and proving clinical with their free throws, to set up a final fours meeting with Newham at Crystal Palace next month.

Team manager Fe Duhaney-Keown said: “To make it through to the semi-finals feels great.”

Hackney’s boys eased past Camden (32-13) and edged out Greenwich (22-21) in their qualifying group, but went down 10-9 against Southwark and missed out on a quarter-final place, finishing in a share of ninth.