REPRESENTATIVES of the Wales Under 15s basketball team are appealing for donations to fund lucrative friendly matches ahead of the 2020 FIBA U16 European Championships.

The Welsh youth squad, which includes Ross Hawke-Jones from Mold Magic and Jacob Crump of Wrexham Warriors, are in need of financial backing due to the lack of UK Sport funding in British basketball.

In 2018, the Wales U16 team reached the final of the yearly FIBA European Championships where they lost out to an Andorra team that they had beaten already in the Group Stages.

The latest Welsh youth team, though, hope to go one step further in the 2020 edition of the tournament, but need practice against other international teams in the meantime.

In order to achieve those ambitions, the Wales U15 team manager, Sarah Ganniclefft, has set up a Crowdfunding page, appealing for a sum of £3000.

All donations and contributions will help to pay for travel, kit, and accommodation for planned friendly matches in Sweden, in May, and Ireland a month later.

Speaking about the talented youngster Jacob Crump, Rich Holden, Coach of the Wrexham Warriors youth teams, says:

“He's been playing for us for several years now and won the NWBA’s Most Valuable Player award for the top league scorer in the Under 14s last season.

“Despite his age he plays in our Under 14s, 16s and 18s teams, and relishes the competition.

“He's grown as a player and really supports his teammates, it was great news to hear that he had been selected for the Welsh Under 15 squad.”

Like Jacob, Ross Hawke-Jones is another North Wales based player who has been selected to be a part of the Welsh U15 squad. And his Mold Magic coach, James Morgans, adds:

“Ross has been with Mold basketball club for several years, following in his brothers’ footsteps. He plays with our U14s team while training with our U18 side.

“Having Ross in the Welsh squad is big achievement for him as a player in North Wales and provides a good visual of a player’s pathway from club to country.

“Many of our club players aspire to play for Wales and are encouraged by the success of Ross.”

So far, £1085 of the £3000 total has been kindly donated to the cause by various supporters.

If you would like to support the development of this Wales U15s team in to potential European Champions, head to www.justgiving.com and search for 'Sarah Ganniclefft'.