British team announced for wheelchair basketball Worlds

“The World Championships will see how we’ve developed as a team over the past two years. The development within ourselves and how we have improved individually as well as collectively should then stand us in good stead to challenge all the teams there.”

Four players will make their senior debut for the Great Britain men’s wheelchair basketball team when they travel to Incheon, South Korea, for July’s 2014 IWBF Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Championship.

The reigning European champions will take on Mexico, Argentina and the hosts Korea in Pool A at the beginning of the tournament that runs from 3-15 July.

Cardiff’s Phillip Pratt is the youngest new addition and the 20-year-old joins Mark Fosbrook and Lee Manning, who will also be competing in their first major competition for the national side.

The rest of the 12-man squad is made up of London 2012 Paralympians such as Dan Highcock, Terry Bywater and captain Abdi Jama, who led the team to European glory last year in Frankfurt, Germany.

Rising stars such as 19 year-old Harry Brown and Wolverhampton’s Kyle Marsh also feature in the team after impressive displays in Europe.

“It was a very challenging decision following an intensive training programme over the last month,” said head coach Haj Bhania.

“The players that have come in will all add to the team in different ways – Mark Fosbrook is very effective in his role and deserves his spot based on his performances and work rate, whilst Philip Pratt is a naturally talented player who brings flair to the team with his all-round skills. I was also impressed Lee Manning’s progress over the season after so narrowly missing out last year (at the European Championships). He is our biggest player and has the ability to change a game for us, especially defensively.

“The World Championships will see how we’ve developed as a team over the past two years. The development within ourselves and how we have improved individually as well as collectively should then stand us in good stead to challenge all the teams there.”

Great Britain Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team

Abdi Jama (31, Liverpool) – Captain

Mark Fosbrook (38, Oswestry)

Kyle Marsh (24, Wolverhampton)

Ade Orogbemi (36, Liverpool)

Harry Brown (19, Halifax)

Phil Pratt (20, Cardiff)

Ian Sagar (32, Barnsley)

Gaz Choudhry (28, Ealing, London)

Simon Munn (46, Peacehaven, East Sussex)

Terry Bywater (31, Redcar, Middlesborough)

Dan Highcock (32, St Helens)

Lee Manning (24, Peterborough)

A total of 16 teams will compete at the World Championships in Incheon. The teams in the other pools are as follows:

Group B

1. The Netherlands

2. Spain

3. Iran

4. Japan

Group C

1. Turkey

2. Algeria

3. Colombia

4. USA

Group D

1. Germany

2. Sweden

3. Australia

4. Italy