From Slough to the States: Joel Armotrading stars in Nevada's dominant opening day victory

Joel Armotrading. All pictures courtesy of the Nevada Hoops instagram page @nevadahoops

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Slough-born basketballer Joel Armotrading put in a towering performance to help the Nevada Wolf Park claim a dominant opening day victory over Louisiana Tech this week.

Armotrading signed a major Basketball NCAAS Division 1 contract with the University of Nevada in Reno earlier this year, in a move that marks a major milestone for British born basketballers.

Joel, who stands at an imposing ‘6’10’ and plays centre was born in Slough and has come a long way from the school gyms of Burnham Grammar School to be playing elite level basketball on the US College Basketball Circuit.

The University of Nevada’s team - the Reno Wolf Pack - are widely regarded as one of the most competitive and professional teams in the Mountain West Conference, and they displayed that in their opening match, a 77-50 win over Louisiana Tech.

Joel played a big hand in wresting control from Louisiana and turning their overall dominance into a relatively comfortable win.

It also continues an unbeaten streak which saw the team win all their pre-season exhibition matches.

Standing out amongst his talented teammates, Joel showcased his defensive capabilities, claiming six rebounds and a team high two blocks in 21 minutes. He also anchored a defence that limited their opponents to only 50 points.

He was also humble in victory. saying: “It’s looking like a strong start, but there’s still lots to work on.

“We are all looking forward to the next one.”

Nevada’s basketball team, Reno Wolf Pack, have had many former players go on to play professionally in the NBA, with the likes of the Martin brothers - Caleb and Cody, and JaVale McGee - forging illustrious careers in the sport. McGee notably won three NBA Championships.

Having previously played for Cal Poly and the University of California Riverside, as well as junior college for The College of Southern Idaho, Joel’s athletic abilities have stood out for each team he’s represented.

A dominant rebounder, Joel’s coaches have spoken often of his potential to play professionally at the highest level.

Under head coach and former NBA player Steve Alford, Nevada is seen as the perfect home for Joel to continue honing and sharpening those skills, surrounding by some of the best young players and coaches in the country.

With Joel’s undoubtable talent, his potential is limitless.

The future will come down to Joel, but his is already a story of great determination. Growing up in a town, region and country not known for identifying and developing top basketball players, Joel is a living example of what can be achieved through hard work and being focused on a goal.

His family, friends and the community in Slough will be supporting him from across the Atlantic and following his journey with pride. They believe he’ll make it to the very top of his sport and inspire others from this country to follow in his footsteps and beat the odds.

Follow Joel's journey on Instagram, @jzephn and on TikTok, @teamjzephn.