The 2025-26 Isle of Man basketball season came to a thrilling conclusion on the arena court of the NSC on Thursday as DGU Jets took on Wolves in a contest that provided plenty of excitement for the gathered crowd of supporters.

This was the fourth time in as many years that the two teams had met in the Championship final, with Jets ending Wolves’ hopes of a three-peat last year with a dramatic overtime victory.

Both teams worked hard to deny on the opening offences and it wasn’t until late in the second minute that the game’s first basket was scored, Jake Glover running the lane for Jets.

Drilled offence paid dividends for Jets throughout the first, with solid baskets in the mid-range from Wayne Mears while quick swings found Tom Crosbie and Revi Del-Rosario free outside the arc.

Wolves struggled to find a consistent way to breakthrough the active Jets defence but found solid success in drawing foul free-throws throughout the quarter and they slowly chipped away at the deficit.

Two quick pull-ups from Seb Smith and Viktor Capkanovski brought Wolves within a single point in the final minute, although Crosbie managed to extend the lead again with a solid drive, 19-15 at the end of the first.

A solid defensive wall marked the start of the second quarter for Wolves, with Oscar Lace in particular piling on ball pressure and stalling Jets’ offensive engines.

The intensity opened up opportunities for Capkanovski to pick off passes and go on an eight-point fast break run that left Wolves trailing by only a single point.

Lace then matched his solid defence with a swish three-pointer that gave Wolves their first lead of the game, 24-26.

The lead was traded between the teams as half-time approached, but a final duo of three-pointers from Crosbie put Jets ahead again, 37-31.

Jets were under pressure again at the start of the second half as Capkanovski went on another run to slash their lead to a single point.

Again, a disciplined and well-drilled offence paid off as quick drives collapsed the Wolves defence and opened kick outs to Paul Kilic and Crosbie, while Glover ran the baseline cut.

Soon Jets were back to a solid seven-point lead which could have marked the start of a game-winning momentum.

Wolves had other ideas though as Lace, Capkanovski and Smith drained a slew of three-pointers that had them back in the game, Smith’s second shot closing the gap to a single point, 55-54, at the end of the third quarter.

It was all still to play for at the start of the final quarter as Lace splashed yet another three-pointer to draw the sides level.

Strong drives from Crosbie and an outside shot from Kilic pushed Jets ahead again but Wolves kept the game close, with Capkanovski again leading the scoring.

The crowd were left on the edge of their seats at the teams traded points, only two baskets between them as the game entered the final minute.

Step forward Jets point guard Tom Dalton-Brown who had been unusually quiet on the scoring front but hit a dagger three-pointer from the wing that pushed Jets eight points clear with 40 seconds remaining and effectively sealed the game.

Wolves pushed a quick return but failed to create against a motivated Jets defensive effort. A final basket from Mears saw Jets fly into an 11-point victory, 74-63, in a game that could have gone either way until the final minute.

The victory marks the completion of a perfect season for DGU Jets, the 2025/26 basketball champions.

The 2025/26 basketball season has now concluded and details of the annual awards night will be circulated to all teams and supporters in the coming days.

This season has seen an increase in both teams and players for the senior league, alongside a growing and competitive D2 Development League.

It would not be possible to offer these leagues without the tireless efforts of a great many volunteers.

The association would like to extend particular thanks to Michael Pardoe (fixtures secretary), Paul Ellison (referees co-ordinator) and Peter Dunne (chief commissioner), without whose efforts the leagues would not have been able to function.

This week sees the island’s basketball community compete in its first Commonwealth competition with the 3x3 Home Nations qualifiers in Manchester on Friday and Saturday.

The men’s and women’s teams have been announced and both feature a mix of veteran experience and emerging talent.

On the men’s side, 20-year career veteran Chris Wolfendale will be joining island team-mates Ross Wilson and Viktor Capkanovski, both with multiple Island Games under their belt.

The team quartet is rounded out with rookie pick Jack Wilkinson, the 18-year-old having made a solid impact on the league this season and now stepping into his first international tournament representing the Isle of Man.

There is a similar mix on the women’s team with Danielle Murphy, Zoe Kirkham and Becky Dunne featuring.

The trio have been a core part of the island’s women’s programme for over a decade, with Murphy and Dunne having first featured as bright-eyed teenagers in 2007 during the Rhodes Island Games.

Mairi Harrison rounds out the squad, having joined the women’s team for the first time in Anglesey last summer during their gold medal inter-island campaign.

Harrison has made a solid impact for Hoops in the regular season and will be looking to bring that energy to her second international tournament.

The island’s participation in the Home Nations tournament would not have been possible without the support of the Steam Packet’s Manx Community Assistance Fund.

The qualifiers tournament coincides with the start of TT and it would not have been possible for the island to participate without the significant support given by the fund.

Isle of Man Basketball Association continues to be grateful for all the support provided by the Steam Packet in enabling international participation.

The Commonwealth Home Nations qualifiers will be streamed live on YouTube, with details available on the Basketball England website.

MARTIN DUNNE