Ireland 188
“The NBA’s face is European” – Francisco Elson
2007 NBA champion Francisco Elson has no doubts, the face of the NBA is European now. The Dutch legend and former San Antonio Spurs big man talked to Emmet Ryan on a visit to Dublin about his career, the game today, and working with young people Francisco Elson stands tall in most rooms but the […]
The tightest league in Europe just got tighter
Any run of results would guarantee chaos in the Irish Super League. It was going to take something special to make things absolutely bonkers at the mid-point of the season and we got just that. Emmet Ryan on how December to Dismember is living up to its billing It began in rather drab fashion. Templeogue […]
The way of the Warriors
The race was over, then it was alive again, then it was decided. Over the course of 2 games, starting 24 hours apart, the Irish Super League championship was decided in a combination of both the height of drama and the calm of a coronation. Emmet Ryan hit the road to take in all the, […]
The beat goes on
The last of our missives from the Kingdom sees Emmet Ryan return to Tralee during the run-in to the Irish Super League race as the unexpected league leaders faced a stern test from relegation battlers Neptune Saturday and Sunday see two huge games for the Tralee Warriors but that’s pretty much the norm. Every time […]
The quiet night amidst the resurgence
Sometimes you just come across a bad game of basketball but that can be a blip. The resurrection of top tier basketball in Killarney is moving along nicely, just for one Saturday there was a reminder of the work that is still ahead. In his second missive from the Kingdom of Kerry, Emmet Ryan watched […]
Killorglin go down but can look forward
It wasn’t Killorglin’s day in their penultimate home outing of the season but the village of just 2,199 people can look forward to another season of top flight basketball. Emmet Ryan with the first of his missives from his Kerry adventure visits the town where there’s only one true goat Prior to Killorglin’s ascension to […]
Now it’s about holding serve
Tralee took care of business in front of a typically raucous home crowd but now the Warriors have the small matter of closing the deal. Emmet Ryan on the wild run-in to the Irish season that is offering a different flavour of drama to last year Last year’s title race was more than a bit […]
Garrow goes off to keep Irish race wide open
In a night where those on the outside of the title race were under pressure, UCD Marian’s Mike Garrow got hot when it mattered as the Students had a storming comeback to see off Belfast Star. Emmet Ryan gives his thoughts and rounds up the rest of the Irish Super League action From the off […]
Celtics, not that one, make for an unlikely Goliath
The Boston Celtics have had a target on their back as the big gun to take down more often than not across their storied history. Their cousins in Leixlip are a little different but Liffey Celtics go into Ireland’s women’s cup final as clear favourites despite having never previously lifted the trophy, writes Emmet Ryan […]
Si vis gloriae, para bellum
It’s a payback clash for both sides preceded by a phoney war. Two teams separated by a river look to end their cup drought on Saturday night in Dublin as UCD Marian and Killester are both looking to put the past behind them Nobody wants to be there, not a whole lot of people are, […]
Celtics show no Mercy as they down cup holders DCU
It was always going to be a tough ask for defending champions DCU Mercy but a second quarter injury to their star point guard ended this one as a contest in a hurry. Emmet Ryan reports from the Mardyke as Liffey Celtics maintained their unbeaten record in all competitions to progress to the Irish women’s […]
Marian go Greek to dismantle battered Belfast
This was a masterclass from the Greek school of coaching as Ioannis Liapakis saw his UCD Marian side tear high flying Belfast Star apart in the Irish cup semi finals. Emmet Ryan reports from a terrible beauty in the Mardyke. He’s listed at 6 foot, that’s more than debatable, but at 16 years of age […]