WHILE most teenagers are still in bed tomorrow morning, Southampton Trailblazers will be stepping on court at Manchester's Amaechi Basketball Centre to take on City of Birmingham in the RAF National League under-13 semi-finals.

The team and a coach-load of supporters were travelling up today to be ready for the early start against the Midlands champions.

If they win, Blazers play either Sheffield Sharks or East London Royals in the final later tomorrow.

It's been an exciting time for the Blazers youngsters, who showed promise last season winning the "Warrior Weekend" tournament in Aldershot against the best of the region's under-12s and the Solent Area under-12 competition.

Their performance at the Solent finals was described by England Basketball regional chairman Micky Byrne as the best he had ever seen by a team of that age.

This season Blazers were runaway winners of the South of England Division, and followed that up with play-off wins against Brentwood Fire and red-hot favourites Hackney White Heat, the reigning national champions.