AS HE already measures up at six feet eight inches, it seems even more appropriate to describe East Kent Crusaders basketball prodigy Ryan Richards as a rising star of the game.

The young forward spent much of his festive holiday representing England at the Barking Abbey International Junior Tournament.

The strapping teenager was delighted to win selection for an England Under-16 team who are preparing for this summer’s European Championships.

The latest tournament featured top Under-18 teams from Bosnia and Serbia Montenegro with England finishing fifth. In the opening game Richards scored 10 points and grabbed a team high seven rebounds.

After missing the second game due to illness, Richards returned to net 17 points and grab six rebounds against BC Play-Off from Sarajevo.

Over the three days of the tournament Richards ended up with England’s highest scoring and rebounding average per game despite being a year younger then the majority of the squad.

Richards plays for the East Kent Crusaders Under-16 team and regularly features with the senior men’s side.

He next travels with the national squad for an international tournament in Lanzarote later this month.