Ipswich Basketball star Cameron Taylor-Willis 'really excited' after she was offered scholarship to Eckerd College in St Petersburg, Florida

A teenage basketball star has spoken of her excitement after having been offered a scholarship to an American college.

Ipswich Basketball forward Cameron Taylor-Willis is due to start at Eckerd College in St Petersburg, Florida, next summer after having been scouted by coaches.

Cameron, who lives in Hadleigh, began playing basketball when she was just 11 years old after her Year 5 teacher at Boxford Primary School started up a club and asked her to join.

And, at 6ft1, it was a perfect match for the now 17 year old.

"I was always sporty but never had that one sport I was obsessed with," she said.

"Then I found basketball and I just thought 'this is it'."

A year after starting, Cameron, who is now a sixth form student at Coppleston High School, then joined training sessions with Ipswich Basketball Club.

"We've been really successful. We won the league, the finals and the cup this year so we won everything we could have," she said.

"It's just a really cool feeling to be doing it and to be doing it well."

And Cameron's success didn't escape the eyes of scouts at Eckerd, who approached her to offer a scholarship.

"The college just noticed that our team was doing well and they watch the games," she said, adding that a former team mate Maya Price was already at the college and had mentioned her name.

Cameron has now committed to the college and is due to fly out to Florida in August 2021 to begin her four years of studies.

"I'm actually really excited. I'll miss home but I think I'll be a bit busy studying and playing to pay too much attention to it," she said.

"I looked into the college when they made the offer and it was just a no-brainer for me."

Despite her success in the game so far, Cameron is still looking on basketball as a hobby, rather than a potential career.

"I want to become a solicitor or something to do with law or criminology," she said.

"It's just great that basketball, which is something I love, is going to be part of my next journey."

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