With 24 teams heading to Manchester's National Basketball Performance Centre, two days of hard-fought action will leave just six sides as champions when the dust finally settles.
For the very first time, every minute of the JFFs will be live streamed for fans across the country, with links to both the streams and live stats available from the button below.
We've got a preview of all six age groups below, and player and coach quotes plus full rosters are also available.
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Semi-Finals
Saturday 3 May 2025
Tip Times |
Court 1 - Show Court |
Court 2 - Main Hall |
Court 3 - Back Hall |
10AM |
Under 16 Girls - Manchester Mystics vs Sheffield Hatters |
Under 16 Girls - Richmond Knights vs Milton Keynes Breakers |
Under 14 Boys - Milton Keynes Breakers vs London Legends |
12PM |
Under 16 Boys – London Stars I vs London Thunder |
Under 16 Boys - Sussex Storm vs London Elite |
Under 14 Girls - Manchester Mystics vs Richmond Knights |
2PM |
Under 18 Women - Manchester Mystics vs Endeavour Ipswich Basketball |
Under 18 Women - CoLA Southwark Pride vs Nottingham Wildcats |
Under 14 Boys - London Stars I vs Bristol Academy Flyers |
4PM |
Under 18 Men - Reading Rockets Academy vs Manchester Giants |
Under 18 Men – Manchester Magic vs Sussex Storm |
Under 14 Girls - Milton Keynes Breakers vs City of Birmingham Rockets |
Three league winners head to the NBPC to contest this season's U18 title, highlighted by Manchester Magic looking to extend their dominance in this competition.
The North West side have won the U18 crown a record nine times, four more than their next closest challengers East London Royals, and have a chance to push their successes into double digits.
To do so, the North Premier winners will have to build on their 20-2 regular season against another divisional champ, East Premier top dogs Sussex Storm, who claimed their title at 19-3.
That contest forms one of Saturday's semi-finals, with an equally enticing clash in the other half of the draw.
Reading Rockets (19-1) are the only U18M side to taste defeat just once this season, taking the Western Premier in the process.
They'll be hunting for a first title since 2006/07, but first they'll have to overcome the only non-league winner in this season's quartet, Manchester Giants (18-4).
They've more than earned their ticket to the Performance Centre after an 87-73 victory over Eastern Premier runners-up and Jnr. NBL Sure Shot National Cup winners CoLA Southwark Pride, also dispatching Surrey Rams 89-80 the weekend before.
Manchester Magic were untroubled in their playoff journey, beating Milton Keynes Breakers (99-75) and London Westside Rangers (96-71) in their two games earlier this month.
Reading continued their regular season momentum into the playoffs, beating CAVC Vipers (77-59) and London Elite (83-74), whilst Sussex Storm had a scare against Team Solent Kestrels (69-65) after knocking off Sheffield Elite (80-67) to get themselves underway.
U16 JFF's MVP from 2023/24's showpiece Demi Babalola (15.5PPG, 14.5RPG) plus fellow U16 All Star Five selections Jayden Evora Gomes (Manchester Giants, 22.5PPG, 9.5RPG) and Jack Walton (Manchester Magic, 13.5PPG, 8.5APG) have all graduated to the U18s and will be exciting to keep tabs on this weekend.
Reading Isaac Spurrier has D1M experience and dropped an impressive 20.3PPG in the EABL this season, with guard Ethan Round (19.4PPG, 4.4APG) also enjoying a great season of Academy basketball.
The bulk of this Sussex Storm roster stunned Birmingham City University at the NBPC last weekend to claim the D3 Playoff title, and the MVP of that game, forward Safi Tidjani, is aiming for further success this weekend.
As the last showpiece game to tip in the main hall on Sunday, the U18 Men's competition always has a special spectacle about it as the tie brings the Jnr. NBL season to a close.
With their previous dominance and success during the regular-season, Manchester will feel they're the team to beat, but this is a stacked field that is sure to live up to its billing.
For the second year in a row, the U18 Women’s competition will pit Manchester Mystics, Endeavour Ipswich Basketball, CoLA Southwark Pride and Nottingham Wildcats against each other for the U18 Women's title.
All four sides return, with a pair of identical of North vs South semi-finals on the cards as there was a year ago.
With CoLA and Ipswich combining for each of the last seven titles at this level, with Ipswich's 2022/23 success slotting in around six Pride wins, it's tough to look past either side this weekend.
Northern Premier winners Manchester may feel they have the best chance to upset the general order of things, especially after an unbeaten 14-0 regular season and making the Final in 2023/24.
They'll take on Ipswich first up once again, who went 10-2 to finish second in the Southern Premier and will hope to go a step further than they did as beaten finalists in January's U18 Women's Sure Shot National Cup.
CoLA were Cup victors in Manchester on that day, and after regular season success in the South, the Finals Fours present an opportunity for what would be back-to-back trebles.
They'll take on Nottingham Wildcats, 11-3 during the season and second place in the North, who will be hoping for any kind of improvement on their fourth place finish last time they were at the NBPC.
All four sides had to navigate a single playoff fixture to make it to Manchester, though CoLA progressed following a 20-0 forfeit against Charnwood College Riders.
Nottingham beat Team Solent Kestrels (82-67), Manchester eased past Reading Rockets Academy (87-47), and Ipswich had no problems getting past Trafford Mystics (81-55).
Maisie Keyes (Manchester) and Kaiya Bateman (Milton Keynes) made the U16 All Star Fives last season, but both now call Ipswich home at U18 level. Keyes (12.0PPG, 11.0RPG, 4.5APG) and Bateman (10.0PPG, 8.5RPG, 6.5SPG) will both be hoping to drive their team forward against some stiff competition.
CoLA guard Ayla Habbal has enjoyed a stunning season, collecting the WEABL South's MVP award, multiple D1W honours plus an MVP nod in last weekend's D1W Playoff Final win over Ipswich.
She joins last season's U18 JFF's MVP Adaora Dioramma, who enjoyed a strong 8.5PPG, 9,0RPG average across her two games, though January's National Cup Finals MVP Chloe Vella is absent after a season-ending injury suffered back in late-January.
Don't sleep on the Mystics, who dominated the North Conference's WEABL award this season, whilst Irene Oboavwoduo was an All Star Five pick at both U16 and U18 level a year ago.
Nottingham are far from making up the number, either. Tiarna Chambers-Desmond (10.0PPG, 4.5RPG) was also an All Star Five pick last term, with the likes of Sammy Mullock (11.9PPG, 12.0RPG) and Alina Riley (11.8PPG, 3.6APG) both shining bright in the WEABL this season.
It's the same quartet as a year ago, but as is always the case with junior basketball where players progress and rosters change, don't bet on the results being the same as well.
There's a strong London contingent in this year's U16 Boys' field, with three of this year's finalists all hailing from the Capital in London Stars, London Thunder and London Elite.
Sussex Storm round out the four, making it back-to-back-to-back U16 appearances for the 2018/19 winners.
Thirteen-time champs Manchester Magic are absent, going down 75-62 at home to London Elite, who also ended the run of another Northern Premier side, Milton Keynes Breakers (87-71) to open the playoffs.
U16 National Cup winners London Stars are hoping to put an impressive exclamation point on a successful season, adding playoff success to league and Cup glory after wins over London Legends (87-66) and Luton (68-51).
Both those teams are in opposite sides of the draw, with the Stars' Saturday opponents being Eastern Premier runners-up London Thunder. They went an impressive 20-2, pipped narrowly by the Stars at 21-1, as the two sides add another chapter to their fight for 2024/25.
Stars were two-point winners, 59-57, on the road in mid-October, but Thunder handed their cross-town rivals their only loss of the campaign in the return leg, winning 64-51 to end January.
Sussex Storm went 19-3 in the Western Premier, five points better than semi-final opponents London Elite, who went 17-5 in a tie for third and fourth.
Both teams claimed their home games when they met this year, with Elite coming through 67-50 in November and Storm ending their regular season with a 78-67 victory in late March.
Storm also beat Western Premier winners London Warriors to punch their ticket to Manchester, winning 82-56 in Hounslow to keep their momentum rolling.
London Stars' Oskaras Visockas is a player to watch after his 22-point, 11-rebound double-double performance earned MVP honours in January's U16 Sure Shot National Cup Final.
Team mate Domas Martinkus made the All Star Five at U14 level a year ago, averaging 18.0PPG, 5.5RPG and 5.5SPG. He'd love a repeat of that performance and is one to keep an eye on, as is last season's U14 MVP Leo Bowman, who's 26.5PPG and 13.0RPG helped London Elite to the title.
Bowman joins team mates Zan Milovidov and Kaya Birsen, highlighting what is a deep roster for Elite.
They say that familiarity breeds contempt, but basketball fans can look forward to a pair of familiar foes engaging in what should be a thrilling third instalment of their season series to light up the NBPC on Saturday afternoon.
Three familiar faces head to Manchester as Milton Keynes Breakers, Richmond Knights and Manchester Mystics all make another trip to the U16 Girls' Final Fours.
Northern Premier side Sheffield Hatters are the only change from 2023/24's line up, swapping in for CoLA Southwark Pride, who were beaten by MK (82-46) in the playoff's only round.
That win helped the Breakers head back to Manchester to defend the title they earned 12 months ago, a maiden success they'd love to repeat.
One team that is hoping to change the script is Richmond. They've been beaten finalists in each of the last four competitions, and to be so competitive over that span without a title to show for it is something the Londoners would happily correct.
The Knights kick off the JFF's weekend with a repeat of last season's showpiece, going up against Milton Keynes once again. Richmond are the only unbeaten side in the quartet, going 22-0 for the second year in a row as Southern Premier winners, and they're looking for two more wins to complete a perfect season at everyone else's expense.
That means there's a cross-Pennines battle in store for the other semi-final, with North Premier winners Manchester (19-1) going up against Sheffield Hatters, who went 17-3 to come third.
The teams played out a one-point game when they met in December, with Manchester heading back to Lancashire with a 61-60 victory.
The Mystics made it two-from-two with a more comfortable 78-59 W in mid-March, with the Breakers responsible for the North West side's lone loss (96-83) during the regular season, a potential psychological advantage should those teams meet in Sunday's final.
Manchester duo Mojan Malek (31.5PPG, 17.0RPG) and Anya Williams (17.0ppg, 14.5RPG), MK's Faith Deakin (21.0PPG, 4.0APG, 5.5SPG) and Sheffield's Millie Lowe (12.0PPG, 9.5RPG) all made the U14 All Star Fives at the NBPC a year ago, and another year of development is sure to help the quartet shine once again in 2024/25.
Malek also claimed MVP honours in January's National Cup Final victory over Richmond, with the Knights' Chayana Collins (15pts, 9reb) and Ada Akyol (12pts) both playing well in defeat.
Sheffield Hatters point guard Ella Wright has picked up SLB minutes this season, fast-tracking her development and taking her game to the next level. She'll be hoping the experience helps at this level against her peers.
Sharing just six losses between them this year, it’s no surprise these four teams made it all the way to Manchester. Expect plenty of fireworks across the two days.
There's quality plus familiarity in this season's U14 Boys competition, with two undefeated league winners alongside a programme making back-to-back-to-back appearances.
London Stars took the Eastern Premier title at 22-0, an impressive season no doubt, with an average margin of victory of 48.5PPG.
North champs Milton Keynes Breakers (20-0) might not have managed quite as many wins, but they still went spotless across their schedule, and their eye-catching 1,722 points difference shows just how dominant they were over the rest of the field this year.
London Legends (20-2, second in Eastern Premier) have the unenviable task of taking on the Breakers, but after a JFF appearances in both 2022/23 and 2023/24, the Londoner have big game experience on their side. In the always noisy back hall of court three, that experience can be priceless.
The side looking to have London Stars their first loss of the campaign are Western Premier runners-up Bristol Academy Flyers (18-4).
They came through as runners up behind Surrey Rams, fighting hard in a highly-competitive conference alongside the likes of Brent Panthers and West London Gaters.
The Flyers showed their quality by beating Coventry Tornadoes (97-68) to open their playoff run, before a thrilling 76-73 victory against fellow Western Premier rivals Sussex Storm.
The Legends were untroubled across their two games, beating Oaklands College Wolves 108-77, before a similarly straight-forward 85-67 W against West London Gaters.
London Stars continued their regular season quality into their respective playoff games, beating City of Birmingham Rockets (111-53) and Brent Panthers (104-77), whilst MK did likewise, knocking off London Elite (81-44) and their own second team, MK Breakers II (112-46).
Bristol forward Asa Jnr Abdie-Waite is one to watch, with the forward's blend of size and basketball IQ makes him an exciting prospect. Another set to shine is London Legends' Trey Marshall, who averaged a double-double in points and rebounds across the regular season to anchor their successful campaign.
With two unbeaten league winners and a pair of worthy challengers, Court 3 is sure to be treated to some high-quality basketball across the two days.
Sharing the duties of keeping the crowds on Court 3 entertained, the U14 girls' competition is sure to provide a spectacle for those in attendance.
Last year's winners and home town favourites Manchester Mystics are back once again, looking to end an unbeaten regular season with more glory at the NBPC.
The only unbeaten side in this year's field, they went 12-0 in the North and tacked on a victory against Endeavour Ipswich Basketball (81-62) to make it 13 in a row.
Unlucky for some, and Richmond will certainly hope so as the Mystics semi-final opponents. Winners in 2022/23, the Knights finished second in this season's Southern Premier, but only following a narrow head-to-head tiebreaker without another JFF side for this year, Milton Keynes.
The Londoners roared into the semis following a huge win over Sheffield Hatters, who made it to NBPC last term, with a commanding 93-36 final score.
In the other side of the draw, it is North vs South once again as Milton Keynes Breakers take on City of Birmingham Rockets.
The Breakers are on a high after edging the competitive Southern division, going all the way with the Knights before coming out on top.
After beating Lancashire Spinners 88-34 in their lone playoff tie to date, the Breakers will be hoping to avenge last season's final defeat to the Mystics, should they advance to Sunday's showpiece.
The side hoping to throw a spanner in those plans are City of Birmingham, with the Rockets progressing from the North with a 9-3 record and the best points difference of any of their seasonal foes.
CoB will also be boosted by coming through a test against Kingston Lions in their playoff tie, coming out on top 60-59 to instil a real belief that they can get the job done when it matters most.
Olivia Eboigbe is one of six U13s in a youthful Mystics squad, and her athleticism, on the ball defence and rebounding ability is sure to catch the eye for the North West side. Likewise, Richmond's Julia Bartnicka is averaging 17.0PPG off 43% shooting this season, and with an elite ability to get to the rim despite her age, she's also set for a great two days.
CoB's Zemirah Williams-Gardner is a central figure for her side, and with England experience, she's bound to provide a lift to the rest of the Rockets' roster.
With two league winners and two runners up all making it to Manchester, there will be plenty of talent on show this weekend. Only one can end the season with a championship though, and it’ll be great viewing as we find out who it’s going to be.
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