CROYDON'S girls team has secured a place in the semi-finals of the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games basketball tournament after winning all their group games in last Saturday's qualifying round.

They were among 27 London borough teams of girls aged 17 and under competing at the Score Centre in Leyton.

And Croydon sealed their place in the semis with group victories over Hounslow (35-10), Bromley (31-10) and a tension-packed 15-14 win over Waltham Forest.

In the quarter-final, they rolled aside Camden 20-3. Coach Michael Wright said: "It was excellent and very well played by the girls today. The key was the offence and the big girls did their job in the defence.

"Last year we lost all three games in the qualifiers. This year we have come back with a lot of hard work behind us, won all our games and are through to the semi finals.

"We've been doing a lot of fitness work, some things away from basketball. Lots of treadmill work, lots of jogging just to get our fitness levels as high as possible.

"We had a really hard game against Waltham Forest, which went down to one point. That in itself was like a final for us, it was that hard a game. We're now going to go away, work very hard and do the best we can in the finals."

The semi-finals and final take place at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on July 3.

Croydon's boys' team also progressed from their group with wins over Camden (39-13), Barnet (30-27) and Southwark (20-12).

But they were edged out by Barking & Dagenham in the last eight, losing a tight match 26-23.