The Barking Abbey Basketball Academy is an elite 16–19 basketball academy, based at Barking Abbey School in London, England.
History The school established the basketball academy in 2005, after recognising the lack of elite development opportunities for young players in Britain. Almost unique in British basketball and more similar in structure to a European-style system, the full-time academy is a leading developer of young British talent, many of whom go on to further develop in the NCAA or European academies.
The academy hosted the Nike Junior Euroleague Invitational Tournament in 2010, and was named as the first Great Britain Regional Institute of Basketball in 2011.
Men's team As of the 2019–20 season the men's team compete as Barking Abbey in NBL Division 1, the second tier of British men's basketball.
From 2010–2012, the academy partnered with NBL Division 1 side Essex Leopards, representing as the BA London Leopards. The joint venture was triumphant in winning the Division 1 league, National Cup and playoffs titles in 2012. Following the end of this partnership, the academy entered a team in its own right in 2012, competing in Division 4. In 2014, the academy partnered with the Medway Park Crusaders, competing as the Kent Crusaders in Division 1.
Season-by-season records SeasonDivisionTierRegular SeasonPost-SeasonNational Cup Finish Played Wins Losses Points Win % Barking Abbey2009–10D4 SE51st12102200.833Semi-finalsDid not compete2012–13D4 SE51st18153300.833Semi-finalsDid not compete2013–14D3 Sou48th20614120.300Did not qualify2nd round Kent Crusaders2014–15D124th24168320.667Winners3rd round2015–16D1214th2632360.115Did not qualify3rd round2016–17D231st22193380.864WinnersSemi-finals2017–18D1210th24915180.375Did not qualify4th round Barking Abbey Crusaders2018–19D1212th26818160.308Did not qualify4th round Barking Abbey2019–20D1212th21417120.190Did not qualify3rd round BA London Lions2020–21D1210th19712140.3681st roundNo competition London Lions II2021–22D1210th26917180.346Did not qualify Semi-finals2022–23D1212th26620120.231Did not qualify4th round Barking Abbey2023–24D1212th2442080.167Did not qualify
Women's team The women's team compete, in partnership with the London Lions, as the London Lions in the WBBL, the top tier of British women's basketball.
Academy teams The academy was a founding member of the Elite Academies Basketball League (EABL) and Women's Elite Basketball League (WEABL).
The men's team won the inaugural Elite League in 2014, defeating Bristol-based SGS College 76–74 in the final. Abbey next won the title in 2017, and defended their title in 2018, defeating Charnwood and Myerscough.
The men's will compete in the 2019–20 Euroleague Next Generation Tournament, the highest junior basketball competition in Europe.
See also London Lions (women)
References