Cardiff Met pull out the stops for BCB Trophy Games
Cardiff Met Archers Men made history at Archers Arena this weekend as the University hosted its first two home fixtures in the British Championship Basketball (BCB) Trophy, becoming the first Welsh team to compete in the competition. With more than 270 spectators coming through the doors across the weekend, including young people involved with the Met Community Youth Service alongside Archers juniors, students, families and supporters, the two highly competitive games welcomed new audiences to Archers Arena and made it a memorable weekend both on and off the court.
Archers secure first BCB Trophy home win
Across both games, there was plenty of Welsh talent on display, including current Cardiff Met students alongside players who have progressed through the Archers junior programme and returned to represent the senior men’s team.
Saturday saw the Archers take on Plymouth Raiders in front of a packed Archers Arena and our Archers produced an impressive performance to secure an 82–67 victory and their first BCB Trophy home win. New Canadian scholar Takeshi Croke was a standout performer, finishing with 15 points and 11 assists as the Archers delivered an exciting team performance in front of their home support.
The action continued on Sunday as Cardiff Met welcomed Bristol Hurricanes. The Archers produced another competitive display and led at half-time, giving the home crowd plenty to get behind. The Hurricanes responded strongly after the break to eventually take a 90–74 victory, but it was another positive performance from the Archers against strong opposition in their 2026/27 campaign. Ben Woog, a former junior Archer who has returned to Cardiff after studying at Loughborough University, showed what an exciting addition he will be this season, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
More than two games
While the on court performances were at the heart of the weekend, there was plenty happening around the fixtures.
On Saturday, Cardiff Met welcomed players and staff from Exeter, Truro and St David’s College to Cyncoed. The students competed in fixtures before taking part in an academic tour and programme overview, learning more about studying at Cardiff Met and the opportunities available alongside their studies.
Connecting with prospective students early and giving them an opportunity to experience the University environment first-hand is an important part of the programme, with the ambition to make the college event an annual fixture in the basketball calendar.
Sunday also saw players from the Archers junior programme take to the court for a camp alongside members of the senior men’s team ahead of the game, connecting the next generation of Archers with the senior programme.
A team effort across Cardiff Met
Off the court, the weekend showcased the wider opportunities that sport can create across the University. AdrianRapps and the Met Broadcast team produced a live stream of both fixtures, with commentary from Sam Gilbert and Cardiff Met student Luke Roddy. Placement student Lennon Nicholas supported content creation throughout the weekend, while Devin Pote joined the team on Sunday after flying back from Zambia to help capture the action.
Inside Archers Arena, Azeb Smalley and Cami Barone led the event delivery and helped create a fantastic experience for the crowds across both days. Staff, students, coaches, players and volunteers all played their part, with the Met Sport team completing one final job by clearing Archers Arena in record time after Sunday’s final buzzer.
A huge thank you goes to everyone who contributed to making the weekend happen and a special mention to Basketball Wales for their ongoing support.
It was a memorable first BCB Trophy home weekend for Cardiff Met Archers and a fantastic example of how high-level basketball can bring together performance sport, prospective students, the junior pathway, community engagement and student opportunities across the University.
With more BCB Trophy action still to come and the Division one season ahead, the Archers will now look to build on a hugely positive first home weekend.
Comments