Presentation Tralee face Loreto Bray in Wednesday’s U16 B Girls final
Tralee School is known for its basketball strength and is coached by John Dowling, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors coach and teacher at the school, with three under-19 finals being played on Tuesday. , the Women’s A and Women’s B teams will face the University of Virginia. Cavan and Heywood Community Schools in Laois respectively.
Before that on Tuesday, the Under-19 Boys will face Dublin’s Coláiste Eanna in the A final, where they will aim for a league and cup double. In January, Mount Hawk won the Pinagy Basketball Ireland Under-19A Boys’ Schools Cup title with a victory over St Malachy’s College in Belfast.
Interest in Tralee will be further heightened on Wednesday when Presentation Tralee’s women’s team take on Loreto Bray in the Under-16 B decider from 3.45pm at the National Arena in Tallaght.
Meanwhile, Tralee Warriors players are among five uncapped players selected in Ireland’s 18-man expansion squad for this week’s historic FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers against Kosovo and Switzerland. He is one of the players.
Ireland men’s head coach Mark Keenan has added Garvey’s Tralee Warriors center Laporas Bouividas to his wider squad, as well as James Beckham, David Lehane and InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup winners UCC Demons. Added James Hannigan three and May Quillin forward James Conair. .
Keenan will reduce his squad to 12 players on Monday ahead of Thursday’s away game against Kosovo in Pristina, which will be broadcast live on TG4 Player from 6pm. Ireland will then take on Switzerland at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday 25th February, with the match also scheduled to be broadcast live on TG4 Player from 3pm.
“We have five new faces on our expansion team, all of whom could potentially play at some point during these two games,” head coach Keenan said. Both were selected as a result of their strong performance in the league. UCC Demons trio James Beckham, David Lehane and James Hannigan played a key role in last month’s National Cup success and have continued to perform well in recent league matches. Lapolas is used to performing at a high level, having come through Ireland’s Under-20s and was part of the 2022 team that won five of their six European Championship games. James Conair is also a former Ireland underage player and at 6ft 8in, he brings a big presence to the team. ”
The three group winners and the highest-ranked team in second place will advance to the second round of FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying, scheduled to be held in summer 2025.
Full match list for the All-Ireland Schools League final to be played at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght
Monday, February 19th
U-16 C Girls Ardee Community School vs St Oliver’s CC, Drogheda, 10.30am.
U-19 C Girls Mercy College, Sligo vs. St. Joseph’s Spanish Point SS 12:15 p.m.
U-16 C Boys St Peter’s College, Wexford vs. Hartstown CS, Dublin 2pm
U-19 C Boys Colaiste Raisin, Bray v St Clare’s, Ballyjamesduff, 3.45pm
Tuesday, February 20th
U-16 Women’s Mangret Community College vs. Karasanctius Oranmore 10:30am
U-19 A Boys Mercy Mounthawke, Tralee v Colaiste Eanna, Dublin 12:15pm
U-19 A Girls Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee vs. University of Virginia, Cavan 2:00 p.m.
U-19 B Girls Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee v Heywood Community School, Laois 3.45pm
Wednesday, February 21st
U-16 B Boys St Finian’s Sword vs Cross & Passion Kilcullen 10:30am
U-16 Men’s Coláiste Eanna, Dublin vs St Joseph’s College ‘Bish’ Galway, 12:15pm
U-19 B Boys Pre de la Salle Bagenalstown vs. St. Muredax College, Ballina, 2pm
U-16 B Girls Presentation Tralee v Loreto Bray 3.45pm