Basketball Northern Ireland (BNI) is excited to welcome Basketball Wales, under 15 Boys and Dublin Ladies Basketball Board U16 Girls to Belfast for, the first of its kind, Celtic Invitational Series.
BNI U15 Boys will play Wales in a 3 Game Series at Ulster University Jordanstown on Saturday the 19th of August, Game 1 at 11.15am and Game 2 at 3.15pm as both countries reignite their performance pathway with the final game of the series tipping of 2.15pm on Sunday the 20th at Ulster University Jordanstown.
Our BNI U16 Ladies will tip off a two-game challenge against Dublin Ladies Basketball Board on Sunday 11.30am and again at 3.15pm also at Ulster University Jordanstown. Head Coach Andy Gill has been working with the U16 Girls in the lead up to announcing the squad,
‘The opportunity to work with young players, at the re-start of representative honours for Basketball Northern Ireland, has been a refreshing experience. I believe there are exciting times ahead and a real opportunity to develop our young players for the future.’ Head Coach, Andy Gill.
TEAM NI GIRLS
Sophie Bell UU Tigers
Neve Canning Tyrone Towers
Hannah Cassin Queens Basketball
Holly Donnelly Queens Basketball
Cora Fitzpatrick Belfast Phoenix
Emma Gilgun UU Tigers
Maeve Lyons Tyrone Towers
Anna McCary Belfast Star
Helen McCeough Queens Basketball
Aine McCrory Tyrone Towers
Hannah McGirr Belfast Star
Lara McNicholl Queens Basketball
Niamh Napier Queens Basketball
Florence O’Brien UU Tigers
Roisin Quinn Belfast Star
Eapha Rea UU Tigers
Hannah Rush Belfast Phoenix
Isabella Ward Belfast Phoenix
For our boys, 36 Players were put forward to trial for this upcoming series vs Wales at short notice for both BNI Coaches, Clubs, players and parents.
15 Players were selected for this weekend with the reminder 21 on reserve list and, like the girls, will continue be a part of the Team NI Squad as BNI continue with this Performance Pathway.
‘The boys have been really keen and eager to get on the court. It is exciting for everyone as we launch this program. We have had a great relationship with Basketball Wales and although everyone from our volunteer team of coaches, officials, clubs, players and parents have had to hustle and work hard these past few weeks it has felt like a great opportunity to reignite our series of games which historically always brought great basketball and excitement to the local and travelling fans in our basketball community.
We hope to have great support of our selected panel come game time in this weekend and we look forward to growing this model across both boys and girls age groups’ BNI Vice Chair & Coach Marc Mulholland.
TEAM NI BOYS
Mark Burns Belfast Star
Josh Cunningham Newry Flyers
Daire Donnelly UU Tigers
Conall Gallagher Newry Flyers
Gabriel Gormley Magherafelt Titans
Eoin Holman Belfast Phoenix
Oisin Holman Belfast Phoenix
Eoghan Loughran Newry Flyers
Keelan McEntee Newry Flyers
Samuel Olatunbosun Hazelwood Hawks
Jude O’Carroll Belfast Star
Ruairi O Scanaill Belfast Star
Layden O’Neill Belfast Star
Leo Shipsides Queens Basketball
Thomas Sterret UU Tigers