The first weekend of August saw the U17 Team NI Men and Women, Basketball Ireland Academy Men, and Basketball Wales Men and Women bring energy, intensity, and no shortage of talent to the courts of Newforge, rounding out what has been a brilliant summer of underage international basketball.
The U17 action tipped off on Saturday with a high-paced slate of four games featuring both male and female squads:
- Team NI Men 62 – 92 Ireland Academy Men
- Team NI Men 54 – 51 Wales Men
- Team NI Women 85 – 43 Wales Women
- Ireland Academy Men 90 – 33 Wales Men
It was a competitive opening day with teams making a strong early statement, notably Team NI’s women delivered a standout performance with a dominant win over Wales.
Sunday brought more of the same: high-quality play, passionate support from the stands, and some big scorelines:
- Wales Men 48 – 72 Ireland Academy Men
- Team NI Women 78 – 36 Wales Women
- Team NI Men 72 – 48 Wales Men
- Team NI Men 60 – 112 Ireland Academy Men
Across the two days, the event showcased not only the talent of our U17 squads but also the spirit of our basketball community. A massive thank-you goes out to the referees, table officials, and everyone working behind the scenes who kept things running smoothly. Special appreciation goes to physios Ben Hesnan and Dervla Murphy, whose care and professionalism ensured players were well looked after throughout. Thanks also to Newforge Sports Complex for their top-class facilities and support — and of course, to the families of Basketball NI and travelling supporters from Ireland and Wales who helped bring the atmosphere and support in the bleachers.
As we close the curtain on a busy and rewarding few weeks of youth international fixtures, we want to take a moment to thank everyone who played a part in making it all happen.
From a coaching perspective, one of the key goals this season was to deliver strong performances against Wales as part of our long-term development pathway — and together, we achieved that. These wins serve as meaningful performance indicators, helping to track player progress and support ongoing investment from Sport NI into our development programmes.
A key bonus of the weekend was the opportunity to test our U17 men against the Basketball Ireland Academy squads. These matchups posed fresh challenges for both players and coaches and marked the first time we’ve taken this approach as a National Governing Body. It gave us a valuable benchmark and insight into areas for improvement as we continue to shape our player development pathway here in Northern Ireland.
In the coming weeks, the coaching team will review the season alongside BNI Performance Coordinator Andy Gill, with the aim of providing players with individual feedback to help guide their next steps.
With the summer campaign now wrapped up, the focus turns toward reflection, development, and preparation for the next stage in each player’s journey. This has been a summer filled with progress, learning, and memorable moments — and we’re proud of every young athlete who represented Northern Ireland on the court.