Can The Navy Win A Third Consecutive Inter Services Basketball Title?

The Royal Navy men’s basketball team are looking to win the Inter Services for the third straight year.

The team won the title for the first time in 26 years in 2017 and have held on to the title since.

Aaron Nielsen has played a big part in the Navy’s success. The ex-Newcastle Eagles player scored a vital three-pointer in the final minute last year to defeat the RAF.

He won Navy Sportsman of the Year for 2018 and is expecting some tight games again.

He said: "Prior to me joining, I heard it was the Army just dominating. If you are getting beat by 30 points every year, morale will not be good.

"In the last few years, it has been really competitive. It has only been a couple of points between every game."

Nielsen is not the only former pro in the Navy’s squad. Jordan Dawes has played for the Leicester Riders, Birmingham Knights and Worcester Wolves before he joined the Royal Marines.

He believes the mentality he brings will improve the team.

"The expectation of coming from a professional environment is part and parcel of the job on the day-to-day or as part of the Marines.

"It’s something that you learn to deal with fairly quickly and having a great bunch of lads around you as a support network helps that."

For the Navy women, this year’s championship is about reclaiming what they have lost.

While the men ended their losing streak in 2017, that year marked the start of the women’s poor form.

However, according to Izzy Molyneuz-O’Callaghan, the success of the men is motivating the women’s squad.

She said: "To see them succeed the way they did has definitely given everybody else a boost.

"The way that we played last year and the fact we have won it before means it is something well within our reach."

The Navy are hosting the tournament this year and will play in the second and third games of the championships.