A TVBC councillor for Andover Romans ward has just returned from the British Basketball Masters Tournament in Worcester, having represented the Army Veterans.

Cllr Nick Matthews, who is a Test Valley armed forces champion, helped the Veterans finish the tournament as runners-up after leading a valiant fight against national teams that play and train every week.

Speaking to the Advertiser after returning from the tournament, Cllr Matthews, 57, said he is incredibly proud of his team and all the players.

“We only had to win the last game to win the tournament, but fell short by just a few points.

“We had run out of steam by then, and their front guards were just a little too quick for us. We made some unforced and tired errors, which were punished.

“But we made the army proud and I'm incredibly proud of all the players.”

Cllr Matthews, wearing the number 4 shirt, is a point and shooter guard - and was often referred to as the ‘short arse’ despite being 6'1".

Cllr Nick Matthews was part of the British army in Germany throughout the 1980s.

He has represented the army in basketball until his retirement in 2005.

During his service, he was still able to find time to play on the basketball circuit – representing the Solent Stars in Portsmouth and Branthagen in Dortmund, Germany.

“They were great days as I would often get off a C17 Hercules, and whilst my comrades were going on leave, I would be putting my basketball boots on and travelling somewhere to play ball,” he said.

Between 2005 and 2007 Cllr Matthews captained the over-40s Army Veterans team, and in 2005 he won the most valuable player at the British Masters in Sheffield.

The veteran side also went on to win the competition, much to the surprise of many national teams, including Croatia and two American teams.

"Having hung my boots up some years ago, and not playing competitively for almost 13 years, this year’s tournament was particularly tough.

“All my fellow Army basketball warriors who represented the service many years ago were feeling the old bones and joints – not to mention the muscle memory loss.

“We worked incredibly hard against national teams that play and train every week. So to come runners up in this tournament was a fabulous achievement, and I'm incredibly proud of all the players, who are mostly now unable to walk in a straight line since the weekend.”

He has been a councillor for Romans ward for over two years now.