Carisbrooke’s Year 11 basketball team showed determination, resilience, and plenty of team spirit as they took to the court for their annual tournament this week.
Despite a couple of last-minute injuries leaving the squad a little short-handed, a big shout-out goes to Warrick and Cooper for stepping up and making sure the team was ready to compete.
The tournament got off to a strong start with a solid 2-0 victory over Ryde School. It was a tight contest, but Shai proved to be the difference-maker, scoring the game’s only basket and getting Carisbrooke off the mark in style.
Next up was a tough challenge against eventual tournament winners, Priory. Carisbrooke battled hard throughout, showing great fighting spirit and teamwork. Contributions from Oscar, Liam, Daniel, Cooper, and Warrick kept the energy high, while Shai continued his impressive scoring form. Daniel also got himself on the scoresheet with a well-earned basket, but despite their efforts, the team narrowly lost 5–8.
The third game against CTK proved to be a difficult one. CTK’s consistent shooting made it hard for Carisbrooke to find their rhythm, resulting in a 0–12 loss. However, the team didn’t let this setback define them.
In true Carisbrooke fashion, they bounced back brilliantly in their final game against The Bay. In a tense and closely fought match, the team held their nerve. With just 30 seconds left on the clock, Shai calmly stepped up to sink a free throw, securing a thrilling 3–2 victory and ending the tournament on a high, which resulted in them coming a respectable 3rd overall.
Throughout the tournament, the team showed fantastic resilience, teamwork, and determination. With players stepping up when it mattered most, it was a performance full of positives and memorable moments for the lads to always look back on.
Well done to everyone involved!
.jpg)
On Friday 20th March, we took 43 Year 10 students to London to visit the Science Museum. We travelled early in the morning and arrived in time to explore a wide range of interactive exhibits. A particularly popular part of the visit was the Power Up gaming area. We had the chance to play different types of games, from retro classics to more modern ones. It was interesting to see the science and creativity behind something we use for entertainment every day.
Overall, the trip was a great opportunity to learn outside the classroom, and hopefully it has inspired many students to take a greater interest in science and technology.
Carisbrooke’s Year 8 squad arrived at their tournament ready to prove that greatness isn’t just a one-match phenomenon, it’s a dynasty in the making.
And while the scoreboard didn’t always tell a fairy-tale story, the effort, resilience, and flashes of brilliance would’ve made even Larry Bird nod in approval.
A 2–0 win might not sound like a highlight-reel explosion, but this was all about discipline and control. Think less “slam dunk contest,” more “we’re not letting you score… at all.”
Job done. Statement made.
This one hurt. At 2–0 with seconds to go, Carisbrooke looked set to grind out a solid result until The Priory hit two late baskets in the final 30 seconds. A 4–2 loss that felt more like a cruel plot twist than a fair ending. Even Michael Jordan lost games like that… occasionally. Probably.
Every tournament has that team, the one built like they’ve accidentally entered from a higher age group.
The Bay brought size, strength, and athleticism, and despite Carisbrooke battling throughout, it ended 0–7. A tough one, but sometimes you just tip your hat and move on.
Here’s where things get interesting. Carisbrooke produced a dominant 8–0 win over Cowes, the same Cowes who went on to win the entire tournament. Which raises an important question: should we just go ahead and call Carisbrooke the unofficial champions?
A tight, physical game that needed composure and determination. Carisbrooke delivered both, grinding out a 4–2 win. Not flashy, not easy, but exactly the kind of result great teams build on.
By this point, the team had found their rhythm and Ryde School felt the full force of it. An emphatic 8–0 win to close out the day. Confident, composed, and clinical, just how you want to finish.
Ellis – "The Heart and Soul" Simply incredible from start to finish. The heartbeat of the team all day with consistency, effort, and quality in every game.
Mason – “The Speed Demon” Blink, and he’s gone. Covering ground faster than a fast break led by Muggsy Bogues, Mason brought electric pace that kept defences permanently on edge.
Nell – “The Ultimate Team Player" The kind of player every great side needs. Unselfish, reliable, and always making the right decision.
Lincoln – “The Arrow" Straight, accurate, and unstoppable, especially when he launched the longest shot of the entire day. Somewhere, Stephen Curry probably felt a disturbance.
Archie – “The Juggernaut” Once he got going, there was no stopping him. Strong, direct, and relentless, defenders were basically left making business decisions.
Jimmy – “The Smooth Operator” Effortless control and composure. Everything looked easy, like he had all the time in the world, cool under pressure and always in command.
McKinley – “The Glider” Floating across the court with style, making movement look effortless. One minute he’s here, the next he’s scoring, smooth as you like.
Logan – “The Missing Link” The connector. The one who brings everything together, linking defence to attack and making the team tick as a unit.
Ruben – “The Silent Assassin” You don’t see him… until it’s too late. Popping up out of nowhere to make big plays when it matters most.
Archie D – “The Rock” Solid, dependable, and not going anywhere. In defence, he was the foundation, nothing getting past without a serious fight.
William – “The Quarterback (Wrong Sport, Right Skills)” Vision, distribution, and control. If basketball had touchdowns, he’d be leading the league. Running the game like he accidentally showed up from the NFL.
This wasn’t just about wins and losses, it was about resilience, teamwork, and showing glimpses of something special. A narrow last-second loss. A clash with the tournament’s “giants.” A dominant win over the eventual champions. Sounds less like a random set of results… and more like the origin story of a team that’s building towards something big. The United States men's Olympic basketball team had to start somewhere too. And if this is anything to go by, Carisbrooke Year 8s are well on their way.
Move over United States men's Olympic basketball team, there’s a new basketball dynasty in town, and they’re currently based at Carisbrooke College.
On Tuesday 17th March, our Year 7 “freshmen” stepped onto the tournament stage for the first time this season. Undefeated up to this point, the pressure was on. Would they crumble under the spotlight… or channel their inner Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson? Would they be able to deal with the added pressure due to losing Oscar through injury at the last moment.
Spoiler alert: they chose the latter.
Like any great team, Carisbrooke decided to add a bit of drama early on, falling 6–0 behind. A bold strategy, very Hollywood. But once the shots started dropping, Joshua, Jenson, and Albie got things rolling faster than a fast break in Barcelona ‘92.
With Sullivan and Jack joining the scoring party, and some slick link-up play between Joshua and Albie (think Jordan and Pippen… just slightly shorter), the Cougars roared back to a 16–6 win.
Lift Ryde clearly hadn’t read the script and came out fighting. Credit to them, they tightened things up and made life difficult. But great teams always find a way. Joshua, Jake, and Albie dominated the boards like rebounding machines, grabbing second and third chances as if they were on a loyalty scheme. Eventually, Carisbrooke pulled away for a 13–4 win.
Despite a previous 42–0 loss to Carisbrooke earlier in the season, Cowes showed huge improvement and made this one a proper contest. Jake led the charge, with Thomas, Reuben, and Jenson throwing themselves around the court like it was the Olympic final. Final score: 11–2 but much tougher than it looks.
By this point, the Cougars were in full flow, less “new team” and more “global basketball icons.”
Albie, Joshua, and Jack turned up the defensive pressure early, while Seb, Sullivan, and Reuben came off the bench to keep the intensity sky-high. With Thomas and Jake doing the unseen work and Jenson pushing the pace, Carisbrooke delivered their best performance yet: an 18–4 win.
The Dream Team comparisons? Now fully justified.
Winner takes all. No pressure. Much like the gold medal game in Barcelona, this was the big one. Both teams started cautiously, trading moments without many points. Then boom, Carisbrooke shifted gears.
Jenson drove the tempo, Joshua started raining jump shots, and Albie applied relentless pressure. Jack added his shooting touch, while Reuben and Jake disrupted everything in sight like defensive masterminds.
A 10–2 lead opened up, but The Bay fought back. Still, when Seb calmly dropped the final basket, the result was sealed: 12–6.
Champions.
Cue gold medals, imaginary slow-motion celebrations, and probably a highlight reel set to dramatic music.
Albie – The engine. Non-stop energy, team-first mentality. Basically the glue holding this “Dream Team 2.0” together.
Jenson – The spark plug. When energy dipped, he turned it back on, scoring when it mattered most.
Jake – Rebounding machine. If the ball went up, he assumed it belonged to him.
Thomas – The unsung hero. Does all the little things; morale, positioning, effort. Every great team has one.
Joshua – Offensive powerhouse. Boards, assists, scoring, he did it all with style.
Jack – The sharpshooter. Always ready, always dangerous. Blink and he’s already scored.
Reuben – Grit and composure. Fights for everything but keeps his cool, true competitor.
Seb – Safe hands and controls the game and delivers when needed.
Sullivan – The surprise package. Somehow grabs rebounds that physics says he shouldn’t and chips in with key baskets. The energizer bunny.
Oscar - Move over Adam Sandler (Waterboy), bring in The Non Stop Commentator and Team Speaker.
Played: 10
Won: 10
Undefeated.
Not quite Barcelona 1992… but honestly, it’s getting there.
If this is the beginning, the rest of the basketball world might want to start paying attention.
Artistic expression took over China club last week as Carisbrooke students combined their usual enjoyment of language learning with a lesson in ancient Chinese ink painting. The college's Chinese language assistant, Miss Yan, who led the session, said: "Chinese painting has taken many shapes over our long history, but I chose to explore a type of art with the students that I feel best represents Chinese culture."
In ink painting, traditional Chinese brushes are used with ink to typically produce black and white paintings and are very different in appearance to western paintings, which often use many more colours. These pieces create a particular feeling or mood by leaving lots of empty space on the paper, something which symbolises the mist, the clouds, the rivers and other natural elements of the country.
Miss Yan said: "During last week's session we looked at the differences between western art and Chinese art and learnt about some of these particular characteristics. The students that attended were amazing and, after only a short time with minimal instruction, they learnt how to paint bamboo images and used their very special brushes and ink to produce some truly wonderful pieces of art. Bamboo is often used in winter cooking and to us represents strength and resilience as it can not easily be broken by the wind. Learning about cultural beliefs such as this encourages our students to view the world in different ways while also learning new vocabulary in the process."
China Club, run by Miss Yan and Mr Briscoe, takes place every Tuesday after school and is a great place for KS3 students to get help with their homework or just have fun with Chinese! It is also a great provision for GCSE students to do extra revision and practice before their exams this summer.
We are delighted to share that two of our students have been awarded music bursaries through the West Wight Arts Association scheme. Well done Annelise H (Year 11) and Joseph P (Year 7) - a fantastic achievement!
Every two years, the association awards grants to talented young musicians from across the Island to support their musical development. This year, 20 students aged 11–18 were selected after performing to a panel of trustees and speaking about their musical ambitions and how the funding would support their studies.
The panel enjoyed an impressive range of performances, including piano, saxophone, drums, clarinet, violin, cello, trombone, guitar and voice, and commented on the exceptionally high standard and inspiring aspirations of the young musicians.
We are incredibly proud of Annelise and Joseph for their dedication and talent and we look forward to seeing how this award helps them continue their musical journeys.
.jpeg)
