The island’s men’s and women’s basketball teams travelled to England last week to compete for the first time in a Commonwealth Games event.

The Home Nations Qualifying tournament, held in Manchester, saw England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man compete for a place at the Glasgow games this summer.

A 3x3 competition, the short format 10-minute (or 21-point) half-court games featured much higher intensity and a broader scope for physical contact without causing fouls.

The 3x3 version of the sport has exploded in popularity in recent years, with a vibrant pro circuit and many of the UK’s top players were represented on the home nations squads in the National Basketball Performance Centre over the weekend.

The Isle of Man had never competed in a 3x3 tournament before and the four men and four women who composed the island’s 3x3 teams were eager to test their mettle against the highest level of the game.

The men’s squad mixed experience with youth as veteran players Ross Wilson (c), Chris Wolfendale and Viktor Capkanovski were joined by 18-year-old rookie Jack Wilkinson. Meanwhile, the women’s side continued to develop emerging talent as Mairi Harrison made her second appearance on the international stage, joining the near decade-long experience of Becky Dunne (c), Danielle Murphy and Zoe Kirkham.

With National League and professional players featuring, the level of competition was fierce and the island’s teams soon found themselves under strong defensive pressure and extreme mismatches – particularly against England men’s team who included 6’11 Kavell Bigby-Williams.

The island men represented well though, managing some nice looks and a few steals in their 21-6 loss to the reigning champions, including a deep outside shot from Wilson to wild praise from the commentary team.

Northern Ireland managed a 21-4 victory with intensive defensive pressure, while the Manx side enjoyed a much closer contest against Wales with the game neck-and-neck for the opening minutes, eventually losing out 21-10 to a rain of outside shots.

‘It’s always an honour and pleasure to represent the island on the international stage’, said men’s team captain Wilson.

‘This is a particularly special tournament though as our debut at the Commonwealth and our first competitive 3x3 event.

‘The athletes here are on another level: with many professionals featuring though, we held up well on skill, particularly against Wales and Northern Ireland.

‘We’ve learned a lot about the physicality and fitness needed for 3x3 and we’re excited to build on the successes of these games as a foundation for the future of 3x3 in the island.’

Wilson was joined in his praise by rookie Wilkinson, who added: ‘It’s been a great opportunity and learning experience for me as the youngest player at the competition.

‘Scoring against players of this level has given me a huge boost to my confidence and it’s given me huge motivation to build and improve over the coming months and years.’ Wilkinson made an impressive debut in the island’s opening game against defending gold medal champions England.

Coming off the bench with an aggressive and energetic defence, he managed to steal the ball from one of England’s professional players and proved effective on offence with a quick slip off the screen to the hoop, scoring his first international points.

The strong performances continued against Northern Ireland and Wales, cementing Wilkinson’s status as a rising star of the island’s basketball community.

The women’s team also found the competition to be extreme, with all three opposing squads featuring professional players or NCAA Division One athletes.

The island women still managed a solid showing though and impressed with quick ball movement and some nice cuts that setup great opportunities.

Murphy had one of the top highlights of the tournament with a curl cut off a solid screen that saw her wide open for an easy pass and lay-up.

England took down the island 21-3, with Northern Ireland and Wales winning 21-4.

The women’s team received high praise from the Welsh setup though, where it was noted that they had performed better than Wales in their first 3x3 Commonwealth tournament.

‘We’re incredibly proud to represent our little island on the international stage,’ said island stalwart Kirkham.

‘Competing against such high-calibre athletes was an unforgettable experience, and we enjoyed every moment on the court. We knew the tournament would be challenging, but we showed what we’re capable of by putting in strong performances against all three teams.’

All the 3x3 Home Nations Qualifying Tournament games are available to watch on the England Basketball YouTube channel for interested spectators.

With the Commonwealth campaign now at an end for the Isle of Man, focus turns to preparations for the Faroe 2027 Island Games.

Full details and updates on the island’s progress will be available on the basketball association website at www.isleofmanbasketball.com

The island men’s and women’s teams would like to thank the Steam Packet Company for their support in this first Commonwealth campaign.

Funding provided through the Manx Community Assistance Fund was vital in making the trip affordable for the island’s athletes and without this help the teams would not have been able to participate.

Support from local companies and the wider community is vital to the ongoing success of the island’s teams and the basketball community looks forward to continuing to work with the Steam Packet Company in the future.

MARTIN DUNNE