Wolves in swoop for promising teenager

7:00pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

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ONE of the most exciting young English talents in basketball has signed for Worcester Wolves.

Wolves fought off competition from several British Basketball League (BBL) clubs to land Andrew Wallace, who has been tipped to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Wallace, born in Paris to a British father, was part of the Dijon side who finished second in the professional ‘A’ French under 21s league in 2007.

The 6ft 3ins shooting guard captained England Under 18s as they won the Cherbourg tournament last season.

Wolves hope Wallace, 18, will be the first of several key signings with more expected in the next week.

Director of basketball Mick Donovan said: “This is a brave and certainly one of the most exciting moves in British basketball for many years.

“We actually have a young player with genuine potential coming to this country to get better rather than travelling to Europe or the United States to try and improve.

“We have the expertise at Worcester to support Andrew as a player and as a student and are delighted to be involved in such a significant breakthrough for British sport.”

Wallace said: “I have set myself three simple goals over the next four years — to play professional basketball, be selected for the GB squad for the 2012 Olympics and achieve a solid education. Worcester can help me tick all these boxes.

“There are only a handful of clubs in France that could offer professional basketball with a solid programme for student athletes, hence my reason for looking at offers back in the UK.

“So, when the offer from Wolves presented itself, it was a dream come true.

“This is a fantastic place for me to start my professional career and I am really looking forward to proving myself in the BBL.”

The teenager was also part of the England Under 18s for the European championships in Bulgaria in 2006/07 and, the previous year, was England Under 16s’ player-of-the-year.

Wolves head coach Skouson Harker said: “Andrew’s signing shows our club’s commitment to quality British talent. Andrew is a top young player who has an exciting future in professional basketball.

“We realise Andrew could have had his pick among top BBL sides and we are very proud that he has chosen Wolves’ set-up to get him ready for big time international and professional basketball.

“Providing Andrew with the stage for him to showcase his talent is an achievement that Wolves, and I’m sure the BBL, can be proud of.”