A SPORTSMAN dedicated to helping the next generation of basketball talent has told of his joy after he raised �200 through his charity basketball tournament.

Patrick Manifold, of Great Yarmouth, raised the money during the Clifftop Charity Basketball Tournament, which he organises annually to support local basketball clubs and charities.

The event, held during the Gorleston Clifftop Festival in July, sees teams from throughout the Yarmouth and Gorleston area paying to compete in a knockout competition held at the basketball courts, Marine Parade, Gorleston. This year, Team Extreme were crowned as the overall winners.

Patrick, who plays basketball while studying for his degree at the University of Maine at Presque Isle in the USA, organises the tournament during his summer break in order to promote basketball, encourage sport participation, and raise money in the local community.

Patrick said: “The event went without a hitch, a lot of people were concerned about the possibility of the event being rained off, but thankfully we had one of the nicest days of the summer.

“I had nothing but positive responses from everybody involved. All the games were very competitive and in the end Team Extreme were crowned Clifftop Charity Basketball 2011 Champions.

“All of the money raised from the day was later donated to two very worthy local causes – half to a local basketball initiative with the intention of having numerous children’s national league teams in the Norfolk area, and half to the children’s ward at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.”

Patrick was born in Great Yarmouth and attended high school at Notre Dame in Norwich where he first started playing basketball.