America may have Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson but Bradford's Reuben Malek reckons he can slam dunk with the best of them.

At 19, he has just won a place at one of the United State's renowned basketball training colleges and his ambition is to play in the NBA championships.

But his introduction to the sport was certainly unusual.

A member of the Dhinka Tribe in Sudan, he fled the civil war in his home country at the age of six and has had no contact with his mother and father since.

Settling in Bradford with his aunt and uncle, he soon acclimatised to most aspects of British life - apart from the weather.

"I always played all sports apart from basketball, such as football and athletics," he said. "But the ones I played were outside and it was really cold. My friend Nathan was involved in basketball - I joined in playing and picked it up really quickly. And a really big influence was Michael Jordan."

Reuben's list of achievements on and off the basketball court is already impressive. A part-qualified youth worker, he coaches youngsters at the Parkside Centre in Bradford and formed his own team, the West Bowling Maroons in 1995.

Despite a lack of funding and facilities, the team has thrashed the local opposition and is currently top of the Yorkshire League.

Reuben has represented Bradford in international events and plays for the Sheffield Sabres, one of the top teams in the under 20s National League.

With his friends from the Parkside centre, he has beaten both professional and amateur competition to win the national 3 on 3 championships and the Summer League twice.

The key to Reuben's success, according to fellow youth worker Steven Kaup-Samuels, is his athleticism.

"There are three members of the West Bowling Maroons who are exceptionally athletic. The other team is not prepared for it," he said. "West Bowling is one of the poorest estates in the country yet they've got the best regional basketball team."

But Reuben's dream of reaching the top depends on finding £13,000 to cover the cost of the trip before June.

He is currently planning a dance event at the city's Palm Cove Night Club on April 29, as well as a sponsored 100-mile bike ride.

If anyone is interested in sponsoring Reuben call him on 07971 355106.

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