Peterborough Raptors are national runners-up

Peterborough’s newly formed deaf basketball team, the Peterborough Raptors, finished runners-up in the national deaf tournament in their debut season.

By Bob French

Published 25th Apr 2019, 09:54 BST

Updated 25th Apr 2019, 09:58 BST

The Peterborouhgh Raptors deaf basketball team. From the left are, back, Vladimirs Krumins, Rolands Barkans, Raivis Tidemanis, Sandis Kikurs, Virgis Jurksas, front, Enriko Vacis, Karlis Platacis, Cezary Warchol, Mairis Birmanis and Raimonds Epners.

They contested the final against London Beard at Birmingham’s Aston University on Saturday and were only just beaten 60-53.

The Raptors were formed in March 2018 by local charity The Cambridgeshire Deaf Association with support from national sensory charity Sense. Since then the numbers of players has grown and now the team trains regularly alongside non-deaf players.

Raptors player/coach Rai Epners said: “We were disappointed to lose but still proud that we’ve come so far in our first season. It was a close game and London deserved to win but I felt we could have beaten them on a different day.

“Now we’re hoping to qualify for the European Championships in Moscow.”