Basketball Season 2018/19
This year St. Finian’s competed in both a boys and girls basketball league for the first time in a number of years. With a great turnout at trials the outlook was a hopeful one. After some tough decisions the numbers were whittled down to make our boys and girls squads for the basketball season. There was plenty of training with all team members giving up lunchtimes and showing huge commitment by turning up to numerous after school sessions. During the league there were some closely fought contests with both the girls and boys team showing some great skill and teamwork along the way. The season culminated with both teams reaching the finals in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. This was a great achievement by all the players involved and a just reward for the tremendous effort put they put in all season . We look forward to more success for our basketball team in the future and judging by this year I think we can be hopeful
Please read below to find out in more detail how our teams got on. Here are some end of season reports from couple of our players.
There was a big turnout to the basketball trials this year. After the trials the some were selected for the team and it was time to start training. With only a couple of sessions under our belt it was time for our first game. Our first opponents looked like they had lots of experience with some of their players already playing with clubs. They beat us 18-8 in the boys match and by ___ in the girls game. While we were disappointed with the loss we only took the positives out of the game .With the next match coming up soon we were training really hard. Both teams trained at lunchtime and after school. In the next game we came up against strong competition again. They were tall and they looked very good. The game was played at a fast pace and we went into a 4 nil lead in the 2nd quarter with various players contributing scores. Over the next while they brought it back to 4 – 4. In the last quarter, two more baskets were scored. It was now 8-4 and they started to pile on the pressure until they got the equalising score. There was no time left for anymore scores. This game gave us huge confidence and with all the effort in being put in at training we felt we could win our next game. After a hard fought contest, with some great scores, in which the lead was shared a number of times we eventually lost out to our opponents. It was a great game against some very skilled players and we learned a lot. We did still manage to make a final and we were all so excited. We all wanted to win more than anything. We were constantly training and practising on the wait for the big day. The day of the final in the came at last. We were so excited but also very nervous at the same time as so many people came! We were praying for us to get our first ever win. We left everything on the court that day. We went 19-15 behind in the last quarter but everybody was playing really well. It was going to take a miracle to come back as we only had four minutes to find a win. But we wanted it more than them and we clawed our way back to victory with 3 brilliant baskets from to clinch the win. All of us were absolutely ecstatic. Now it was up to the girls to go and win. After going behind by 10 points in the first quarter the girls produced a terrific team performance and we clinched the double for St. Finian’s. It was a really great day and all of the supporters were with us right till the end.
By Andrew Bracken (6th class)
This year, for the first time ever, our school created girls and boys basketball team. It started off with trials, from which a few people were selected. We trained a few days a week and after school. Our first few matches didn’t go the best but we won one of our matches.
Then we were on to the final in the National Basketball Arena. We trained extremely hard, every single lunch break and after school in preparation. On the actual day of the finals we had all of 4th, 5th and 6th classes behind us. And….both the boys and the girl’s teams won on the day. They were very tight games with both teams only winning by a couple of points.
We are still thrilled over the result and cannot thank Ms. McCarthy, Mr. Whelan and Ms. Lester and Ms. Doody enough for giving up their free time to get us where we are now!!
By Ella Flannery Dabo (5th class)