One of the most prestigious tournaments in Irish schools' basketball takes place in Galway this weekend.
The annual u-15 BI Post-Primary Schools Inter-Regionals starts on Friday and continues until Sunday in three venues in the city - NUIG Kingfisher, Colaiste Iognaid, and St Mary’s College gyms where the best players from all nine schools' regions from 32 counties will compete in this competition.
The Western Regional boys, who last won the u-15 tournament in 2012, open against the South-East Region on Friday in the Jes (7pm ) in their first game, followed on Saturday by three games against the East Region (10.30am ), the North-West Region (2.15pm ) and North East-Region (6pm ).
The Western Regional girls play the Midlands Region on Friday in St Mary’s College (7pm ) in their first game. On Saturday they play in NUIG versus the South Region (1pm ), followed by the South West at (3.30pm ), and the final pool game is against the North-West region (7.15pm ).
On Sunday morning the top four teams from the pools take part in the Tom Collins Cup competition in NUIG, while the remaining five teams take part in the Padraig Campbell Plate competition in Colaiste Iognaid and St Mary’s College.
The competition is also a chance for Irish coaches to select players to Irish development panels. This is a free event and the public are welcome to support the teams over the weekend.
The West boys' team is as follows: Aaron Kiernan, Darragh McNulty, David Bohan, James Connaire, James Cummins and Thomas Toher (all St Joseph's ), Ben Kelly (Colaiste Iognaid ), Cathal Mannion, Cronin Ward, Oisin Gormley (Colaiste na Coiribe ), Daniel Arimoro and Daniel Burke (Calasanctius ), William Onyebaweson and Paul Kelly (St Mary's ), Mairtin O’Conghaile (Colaiste Chroi Mhuire, An Spideal ), Tommy McNeela (Coláiste Einde ). Manager, Adrian O'Neill; coach, Tom O'Malley; assistant coach, Chris McNairney.
The West girls' team is as follows: Claire Action, Laoise Walsh (St Paul's Oughterard ), Clara Della Chiesa (Gort Community School ), Elena Santocanale, Emi O'Connor, Roisin Sweeney (Taylor's Hill ), Emma Mullally, Lisa Blaney (Salerno ), Finola Kelly, Laura Aherne (Calasanctius ), Joelle Pesaitis, Niamh Egan (Colaiste Baile Chlair, Claregalway ), Lisa Ruane (St Louis, Kiltimagh ). Manager, Deirdre Kelly; coach, Joe Shields; assistant coach, Carol McCarthy.
