A Barnoldswick man has been selected to compile the statistics on world-class basketball players at the London Olympics this summer.

Oliver Hylands, 23, a former pupil at the town’s West Craven High Technology College, is one of 24 basketball experts selected by timekeepers Omega to keep official statistics for basketball games to be played at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Oliver, who started playing the sport at age 16, has come a long way from the days when he was the captain of a local basketball team because he was the tallest player.

At 6ft 7ins tall, Oliver still stands head and shoulders above most of his fellow basketball players at Leeds Carnegie, but it was his knowledge of the game that earned him the chance to compile statistics at the Olympics.

“You have to be recommended by a governing body and I was up against people who had been doing this sort of thing for 20 years,” said Oliver, who went through a rigorous selection process.

Oliver, who is studying sports marketing at Leeds Metropolitan University, said: “I’m pretty excited about this opportunity. I’ve always been keen on statistics.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the best players in the world and to be part of a technical team that is getting a chance to watch a game of basketball being played at such a high speed.”

He will be responsible for providing a detailed game analysis which includes recording shots, points, rebounds and assists for all players on court.

Oliver, who has played for Leeds Carnegie for the past four years, also serves as marketing, operations and communications manager for the team.

He is hoping his Olympic experience will lead to him getting a job with a professional basketball team abroad.

“Basketball is so popular in America that working in the NBA has always been a dream, but people also go absolutely crazy about basketball in Europe.”

One of Oliver’s first experiences of basketball came at the age of 16 when he played for the West Craven Turbines, a school team that competed in a local men’s league.

He was the tallest player and was made captain of the team, but it proved to be a tough start.

“We won one game in two years, it was not a good level at all,” said Oliver, who then moved to Bradford Dragons before being taken on at Leeds Carnegie.

Oliver, whose family live in Barnoldswick, will leave for London in July after graduating from university.