North Hertfordshire under-12s basketball squad bagged silver in the Herts Youth Games – a competition that attracts some of the county s top young athletes. The games which were held at the Hertfordshire Sports Village featured 2,000 athletes who were re

North Hertfordshire under-12s basketball squad bagged silver in the Herts Youth Games - a competition that attracts some of the county's top young athletes.

The games which were held at the Hertfordshire Sports Village featured 2,000 athletes who were representing the county's 10 local authorities.

The boys under 12 North Herts basketball team were one of the area's most successful squads, with a number of Greneway School pupils, and members of the Corvus Cornix Basketball Club making up the squad.

The boys' squad, which was coached for the ninth consecutive year by Terry Graves, had been expected to do well after a number of successful competitions.

In their first match, North Herts came up against a well-organised East Herts and got rid of any early nerves by winning 16-3.

This win was followed by another impressive performance, overcoming a physical Watford side 7-5.

In another physical match, North Herts then met Hertsmere in a game that went right to the wire, finishing at 4-4.

In their final group game the boys found their winning rhythm again, with a nail-biting 12-11 victory over Dacorum.

Finishing as group winners, North Herts eased through to the final after by beating Stevenage in the semi-final, to set up another tough encounter with Hertsmere who beat St Albans in the other semi.

In the final both teams started at a frenetic pace, with North Herts creating more of the chances, but Hertsmere ran out 10-6 winners.

The North Herts girls under 12, coached by Rob Dowler, Hannah Gifford, and Karen Foulger, won through their round-robin section with a win against Dacorum.

It was the girls' first competitive tournament, and their squad was predominantly Year 6 pupils.

The girls finished sixth overall, losing in a playoff against Watford.

Champion hurdler Colin Jackson presented the medals.