Best of the West 2016 Pre-tournament
3Best of the West is a Basketball Tournament for the top teams from local leagues in the South West. Held over a weekend it brings together players, coaches, officials and supporters in one place, offering high quality inter-league competition.
Organised and run by England Basketball referee Darren Bolt, Best of the West was borne out of a desire to offer a quality three-person referee clinic to South West officials. The first BOTW took place in 2011 and has run every year since. Previously held as a post-season tournament around May/June, this year’s BOTW takes place on 17th and 18th September.
Previous Best of the West Champions
- 2015: Plymouth Bandits
- 2014: Bridgwater Bucs
- 2013: Bridgwater Bucs
- 2012: Bridgwater Bucs
- 2011: Torbay Tigers
Offering an opportunity for the top teams from local leagues around the South West to compete, the tournament also offers training and development for individuals wanting to improve as officials. Darren explains:
I felt there was an appetite for a small tournament at the end of the season and the aim was to provide that for the South West and at the same time to compliment the referee camp. It worked well. The tournament has produced several national league referees as well as table officials.
Instrumental in ensuring BOTW runs each year is the South West Regional Committee as well as the Devon and Cornwall Police who have played host to the tournament from the start. Each of the five associations involved, West of England Basketball, Exeter & District Basketball, Plymouth & District Basketball, Somerset Basketball and Gloucestershire Basketball, pay for their representative teams.
Entrance to the tournament is awarded to the winners of the top division of each respective region. If a team is unable to represent, the next runner up will be asked, and so on. The format is round robin with each team playing all other teams. Rules are FIBA standard except quarter duration is reduced to 8 minutes. Should there be a tie the final placing will be decided on the head-to-head between those teams.
The Best of the West tournament is a competitive and fun weekend for the South West basketball community. On behalf of the five regional leagues, a huge thanks to Darren and the other volunteers for organising the tournament and good luck to all those competing!
Best of the West 2016 Teams
- Charlton Kings from Gloucestershire Basketball
- Bristol Empees from West of England Basketball
- Bridgwater Bucs from Somerset Basketball
- Exeter Nomads from Exeter & District Basketball
- Totem Timberwolves from Plymouth & District Basketball
Schedule Saturday 17th September
- 09:30 Exeter Nomads vs Bridgwater Bucs
- 10:45 Totem Timberwolves vs Bristol Empees
- 12:00 Charlton Kings vs Exeter Nomads
- 13:15 Bridgwater Bucs vs Totem Timberwolves
- 14:30 Charlton Kings vs Bristol Empees