Josiah

“He will fly off to America during the summer for this opportunity of a lifetime”

Rising basketball star Josiah Asantewa-Philip has found tremendous success since joining New City College and studying Level 3 Sport and Personal Training as part of the London Lions partnership pathway.

Among many other achievements, Josiah has just been crowned slam dunk champion after winning the prestigious Hoopsfix All-Star Classic in a thrilling contest in front of 1,500 basketball fans at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on Sunday May 30^th 2023.

The competition is a highly anticipated annual event in the domestic basketball calendar and for Josiah to win overall is a huge deal.

The title comes after he found out earlier this year that he had been chosen for a full scholarship to study and play top level basketball for a college in Louisiana in the USA.

He will fly off to America during the summer for this opportunity of a lifetime where he will have his college fees, books, food, living expenses and an apartment all funded through the scholarship for two years.

We caught up with Josiah in between his busy schedule of training, studying and playing matches, for a quick Q&A about his time at New City College Hackney campus and what the future holds for him:

Q. How does it feel to know you will soon be moving to a different country after winning the basketball scholarship?

A. It feels unreal. A lot of kids from the UK dream about things like this, but very few get the chance to do it so to be one of those few is such a great feeling!

Q. Did you set out to get a scholarship to play in America?

A. No , originally getting a scholarship wasn’t really a goal. But when I joined New City College I saw an opportunity for myself. When I started here I was injured and fairly new to sport. The goal was to see how far I could get. I told my coach Andre when I met him that I wasn’t good enough to play on the first team and that I wanted to play for one of the lower teams and work my way up. When I said that to him, he laughed at me and told me I had to be at the next training session. The rest is history.

Q. How did New City College help you develop your basketball skills?

A. The college has a great programme and partnership with the London Lions – and it is getting better as the years go on. For starters, when I first came to college I was injured and lacked the tools to better myself. But I was soon introduced to physiotherapist Casian Todorov who helped me develop the physical aspect of my game. Coach Andrea and Coach Andre both taught me a lot about basketball, their coaching styles not only left an imprint on me, but helped mould me into the dominant player I have become today.

NCC also provides students with the opportunity to play abroad during the regular college year. EYBL (European Youth Basketball League) is a trip that was introduced in my third year of playing for this team, allowing me to compete in some of the top European under 20 competitions. This opportunity helped not only me but other players on the team to gain recognition in the sport at a national level.

Q. How did the college tutors play a part in your success?

A. Coach Andre played a huge part in my success! He saw potential in me I didn’t know existed! Andre and all the other coaching staff over the course of the three years I have been here pushed me past my limits. My tutors Luis Iglesias, Jennifer Maysmor-Gee, Daniel Malecaut and Davina Victory also had my best interests at heart when it came to passing the academic qualifications that I needed. The scholarship doesn’t come without education, and they made it their priority for me to achieve the best grades I could.

Q. How did you feel when you first found out you had been awarded the scholarship?

A. I was extremely excited, but I also knew I still had to work hard and be dedicated. I was content because I knew I deserved it and that all my efforts at training and in class had been worth it.

Q. What are the next steps for you after your scholarship?

A. My next steps are to keep working and see how far I can get. I’ve done so much at New City College and it’s been rewarding – but this is just the beginning for me!

Are you passionate about basketball, football, gym instructing or sport in general? Apply today for one of our sport pathways or qualifications:

London Lions Basketball pathway

Tottenham Hotspur Football Development Centre