Basketball Ireland 23
Irish women’s basketball Super League preview
Glanmire are the reigning champions but their key challengers for the crown in Irish women’s basketball may change. With Killester and Liffey Celtics loading up, we look ahead to the Irish women’s Super League. Irish women’s basketball has, at times, felt a lot like men’s EuroBasket. Everyone plays a lot of games. There’s lots of […]
Grading the facial hair of Ireland’s underage international basketball coaches
Basketball Ireland has announced the head coaches for Ireland’s underage basketball teams for the 2023/24 cycle. Most people would write serious and boring pieces about this. Emmet Ryan is not most people. Here are our grades of the facial hair of all six head Irish basketball underage coaches A quick note The elephant in the […]
Charlie Crowley steps down as University of Galway Maree coach
The 25 year old had guided the club to its first ever national cup title and its best ever finish in the Irish men’s Super League In a stunning development in Irish basketball, Charlie Crowley, the 25 year old wunderkind, has opted to step down as head coach of University of Galway Maree. Crowley guided […]
Irish Pat Connaughton steps up as Giannis watches with joy
While the Greek Freak was forced to sit with injury, Pat Connaughton stepped up off the bench big time for the Milwaukee Bucks The European connection with the Milwaukee Bucks is well known, after all they’ve got the two time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Thanasis on the roster. There is, of course, […]
Never argue with a confident man
It was a defeat, that happens, but Jonathan Jean showed what making a life as a pro is all about in a fascinating opening night performance for UCD Marian. Emmet Ryan on the diminutive guard and the role of the import in Europe’s lesser followed leagues Four days. That’s how much notice Jonathan Jean had […]
Best and worst case scenarios for Ireland’s men next summer
With the draw for the second round of pre-qualifiers for EuroBasket 2025 being made, there’s a slightly clearer picture of who Ireland might face in their August 2023 qualifiers The draw for round two of EuroBasket’s drawn-out qualification process for the 2025 tournament was made on Thursday. Who Ireland’s men will face, indeed how many […]
This is what it takes
The tough results for the Irish women’s Under 20 team in Sopron, Hungary, are an inevitable and important part of the nation’s progression in the sport It’s easy to feel sorry for the 12 player roster Ireland sent to Sopron. Ireland won promotion to the A Division at the Under 20 level all the way […]
Ireland’s men face a bigger question after Sunday’s game
With direct progress all but mathematically ruled out in EuroBasket 2025 qualification, there’s an existential issue that Basketball Ireland needs to address after Sunday’s game with Switzerland Formats can force decisions. They can make people get off the fence and give up humming and hawing. That’s what happened last summer after Ireland won the men’s […]
Replace this man
No not me, I’m not going anywhere, but if you want to work in basketball you should really consider another role that has just opened up Over the past couple of years, you may have noticed a bit more of a buzz around Irish basketball. Naturally, this corner has played its part, along with a […]
The Ballin After – Irish Cup Final special
BiE goes deep on the big one this weekend, the Irish men’s Cup final. A new name will be on the trophy as this clash of first time finalists sees Templeogue BC take on GCD Swords Thunder. We hear from players and coaches from both sides who give their thoughts on what we can expect […]
Bernard O’Byrne on Ireland’s resurrection
It’s been a long road back to relevance for Irish basketball, ahead of the FIBA Europe Cup next week Emmet Ryan speaks with Basketball Ireland chief executive Bernard O’Byrne about the sport’s resurrection in Ireland When Bernard O’Byrne took over as chief executive of Basketball Ireland in 2011, the sport was in brutal shape on […]