JERSEY has been forced to scrap the ladies’ basketball inter-insular with Guernsey this season.

The Island side is desperately struggling to retain experienced players and has already announced it will not be sending a squad to the Aland Island Games.

Jersey Basketball Association president Rob Honey said the departure of players through lack of interest or other commitments has left the ladies side with no choice but to pull out of the fixture this year.

He said: ‘Unfortunately we have not got enough of a player base to form a team this season. It’s as simple as that. We had a pretty good size squad last year but a lot of the players have moved on this season, or aren’t as interested in basketball anymore.’

• Picture: Jersey Basketball Association president Rob Honey