A Lewisham football fan turned basketball player has been mixing it with top professionals at an elite camp in Gran Canaria.
Samuel Japhet-Mathias, 17, got into the sport after playing in a school tournament and has never looked back.
He attended Basketball Without Borders (BWB), a global development and community outreach program run by the NBA and FIBA.
While he still has an interest in football, the 6ft11in teen is enjoying basketball and was pleased with what he learned at BWB.
Japhet-Mathias explained: “It was all very fundamental, which I loved because a big man needs to have skill.
"It was good to interact with kids from other countries as well.
“Most of the guys didn’t speak English but everyone communicated somehow.
“Those guys are Division A players now and training against them showed me there’s not much difference between me and them, which gives me confidence.”
Home for Japhet-Mathias is currently Vermont and the Lewisham youngster is loving it - but also stressed he’s not taking this big opportunity for granted.
He added: “I always wanted to go to America. I didn’t think I’d end up there, so I take it really seriously.
“I’m focused, I know what I’m there for, I know what I can do and I know what I want to do.”
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