The Scoil Chriost Ri 1st and 2nd Year basketball teams took both Regional A Midlands/South East championships in St Mary’s Sports Hall recently.
Scoil Chriost Ri have now won three of the four Regional A Championships, having earlier won the U-16 ‘A’ and they lost the Senior A Final.
SCR Portlaoise 39 Pres Kilkenny 26
1st Year Midland/South East ‘A’ Final
The 1st Year A final was a cracking game of basketball for this age group.
Pres Kilkenny shot out of the blocks and stormed into a 6-0 lead.
Scoil Chriost Ri never lost their composure and led 12-11 at the quarter break and 20-19 at half time.
The intensity of the Scoil Chriost Ri defence coupled with excellent execution on their offence eventually told in the second half as they edged to a 6-point lead at the quarter break and won the last quarter 9-2 to pull away for a 13-point win.
They now play the All-Ireland Tournament in UL Arena Limerick on May 11 and 12.
TEAM: Grainne Coleman, Mia Delaney, Kara Powders, Afric Hennessy, Rhea Flanagan, Rosa Conroy, Holly Scully, Ceola Hayes, Sophie Burnell, Chowa Gondwe, Faye Cleland, Leah Gibbons
SCR Portlaoise 50 Pres Kilkenny 26
2nd Year Midland/South East ‘A’ Final
Pres Kilkenny again raced into an early lead in the 2nd Year A final and led 12-6 at the quarter break.
However, Scoil Chriost Ri produced a sensational second quarter which they won 24-4 to lead at half time 30-16.
Pres Kilkenny just couldn’t cope with the massively intensive full court press and Scoil Chriost Ri scored on turnovers, fast break and a composed set offence.
With the damage done, Scoil Chriost Ri further stretched the lead in the second half to win on a final score of 50-26.
They now play the All-Ireland Qualifying Play-Off Tournament on Tuesday April 23 with a possible All-Ireland Semi and Final on Thursday May 1 in the National Arena.
Scoil Chriost Ri are in the quest for four All-Irelands at the close of the season as in addition to the 1st Year and 2nd Year A, they have also qualified for the Semi-finals of the U-14 A and U-15 A Cup competitions.
Having recently just lost the U-16 A All-Ireland semi-final, Scoil Chriost Ri are right back at the top end of school basketball and the future looks very bright indeed.
TEAM: Emily Abrama, Amarachi Obi, Kara Phelan, Sarah Donoghue, Molly Dempsey, Leah Brophy, Ellen Fitzpatrick, Desire Okonoboh, Salma Valentine, Kara Powders, Mia Delaney, Grainne Coleman
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