Wolves add All-Star Ashby to Roster!

Oaklands Wolves have announced the signing of British / Australia duel passport holder Sam Ashby for the 24/25 championship season.

One of the leagues strongest debutants last year with Leicester Riders, Ashby makes the switch to the Wolves and brings her shooting prowess to the St Albans based franchise. Last season Ashby featured in the top 10 for both field goal percentage and made 3 pointers, confirming her reputation as an elite shooter. Her performances saw her voted into the starting 5 for the leagues first All Star game and she finished with season averages of 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The Wolves have made a really strong move by adding her to the roster.

A native of Perth, the 5’9 guard returned this summer to play a short NBL season for Perry Lakes Hawks averaging 9.2 points shooting 40% from deep. Ashby came to the British league after a four year career at University of the Pacific, graduating in 2023. Now a Great British international, Ashby is currently in Rwanda with the senior national side and looking to help them punch a ticket in the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament. Coach Ryan was eager to add Sam after being impressed by her performances last season,

“I was very impressed with Sam last season and when I heard she was available I jumped at the chance to sign her! Having followed her career in college her transition to the professional level elevated her game, something she did again when she made the step up to the GB National team. I think she has many more levels to reach still, that’s the part I’m most excited about, she wants to keep developing and get better, that’s why I know she will fit perfectly with the Wolves ethos!” Follow along for more signings from the Wolves.

Wolves Sign Beckford-Norton!

Oaklands Wolves are excited to announce Shanice Beckford-Norton as their opening signing for the 2024/25 season!

The Eurocup winner will join the program in both a playing and coaching capacity as she also becomes the new Head Coach of the academy girls program. With previous coaching credentials at Kingston Lions and a phenomenal community coaching resume to her name, Shanice will utilise her experience as a coach and player to help shape the futures of our Oaklands academy players.

The former LSU college graduate also enjoyed a spell in Germany with Heidelberg in 2020 before returning to the UK to the London Lions. The Great British payer is currently with the senior national team at the pre-qualifying tournament in Rwanda, and playing a key role in GBs pursuit of Wold Cup qualification.

One of the most consistent performers in the London Lions rise to domination in recent seasons, the 5’8 guard will bring leadership as well as her explosive game to the St Albans franchise. Having won everything there is to win in the domestic game on multiple occasions, coach Ryan will be looking to Shanice to put the Wolves up the table this season.

He said “We are incredibly lucky to have Shanice join our program, she brings a wealth of experience and quality after the unbelievable success she had as club captain of the London Lions. It’s a sign of what’s to come from Oaklands as we continue to progress as a franchise. We are already recognised as a leader in the academy space and adding to Shanice to the coaching staff only enhances that reputation. We have equal ambitions with our womens team and signing Shanice takes us a step closer to realising our potential as a program.”

Follow along for more signings for the Wolves.

Wolves star for Herts in U-17 victory

Wolves provided nine of the players as Herts U-17 girls made it third time lucky by winning the East Region U-17 Tournament at University of East Anglian on Sunday.

Herts had lost both the 2022 and 2023 finals to Suffolk but victories against Essex and Norfolk gave then the title.

With only three of the six eligible counties entering a team, Essex defeated hosts Norfolk by four points in the opening game before Herts faced Essex in game two.

Captain Caitlin Ryan hit the first basket of the game and poured in 14 points as Herts led 27-9 at the first break. Essex were unable to make any inroads into that lead, and when the starters left the game with 1 minute and 18 seconds of the eight minute fourth period gone victory looked sewn up. However a 10-0 run saw the captain return for the final two minutes to help Herts complete the 61-52 victory.

Ryan finished with a massive 26 point, 20 rebound double-double, adding four steals with as many assists and blocks. Lily Harkness and Tiff Mitchell-Tyson - who along with Ryan were playing in their third straight tournament having also helped Herts win the 2022 U-15 title - each added 11 points and three rebounds, with Harkness collecting four steals and Mitchell-Tyson three.

With only a short break before facing hosts Norfolk, Herts struggled in the early stages but Ryan scored the first 12 points as her team took a 13-9 lead into the first break, and despite several players struggling with foul trouble, they never looked back. The starters left the game with six minutes remaining before Ryan returned for the final two minutes of her Herts career to help up wrap up a 64-32 victory 

In her last game as a U-17 Ryan had 33 points - outscoring the opposition team - 12 boards and seven steals. Maliya Lawal had an excellent game with 15 points and six assists while Paris Mitchell-Tyson added seven points, five rebounds and four steals.

Ryan was named tournament Most Valuable Player with Tiff Mitchell-Tyson was part of the all-star five. Harkness, Ryan, Lawal and the Mitchell-Tyson sisters are all expected to line-up for Wolves Elite Academy Basketball League team next season.

Wolves also had six players in the boys' U-17 team at the same venue, but it proved to be a bitter-sweet day for the Herts team. They lost 28-27 against Bedfordshire in the first game as their opponents scored a buzzer-beating basket to win the game. They they somehow repeated the scoreline against Suffolk despite again having the ball with ten seconds on the clock, but did get some consolation by beating Cambridgeshire 32-30 in the fifth place game.