FULFORD School are targeting success in a national basketball competition despite having to play all their games away from home.

The Heslington Lane pupils have qualified for the Yorkshire finals in the Under-16 English Schools' Open tournament, having defeated regional group rivals High Storrs (Sheffield) 44-28 and Wolfreton (Hull) 44-23.

They are now bidding for a place in the competition's last 32 having previously finished beaten finalists in 2004.

Their success is even more remarkable, however, when considering how the team are handicapped by inadequate playing facilities.

"Our school gym isn't big enough to play basketball games," assistant headmaster Dan Bodey explained. "A lot of our PE lessons are held at the university but we can't go there in the evenings for matches so we have to play all our fixtures away."

Fulford's Year 11 team have now reached the county finals for three of the last four years since the arrival of geography teacher Tim Morris, who is worldly wise when it comes to basketball.

Morris was a three-time winner of the British Universities Sports Association title while a Loughborough University student and has represented the Isle of Wight.

He is now player-coach at Fulford Falcons, who include a number of past and present pupils.

Captain Murray McCusker, Rob Anderson and Dan Whittaker shone in the recent regional games.

Of Morris' work, Bodey said: "He has made a big difference and worked hard to establish Fulford as a basketball force."