Killester Men's A team competes in international basketball tournament
The Killester Men’s A basketball team, one of our very well-developed teams in the Eastern Region, travelled over to Wales during the weekend of 8th-9th March to take part in a highly competitive tournament in Cardiff.
The Killester A team faced the National Special Olympics teams of both Wales and England. The event featured full-length matches, and the competition proved to be an exciting challenge for the Dublin-based team.
Despite their fantastic performances, Killester narrowly lost both of their matches. The first match, against Wales, saw Killester fall short 44-41 after two periods of overtime. The second match, against England, was similarly tight, with Killester losing by just 4 points, 44-40. The losses were tough for the team, but they took pride in the highly competitive nature of the event.
The tournament was organised by a collaboration between the UK Department of Sport, led by Jacob Meaton, and Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB). While SOGB was unable to attend the event in person, their support in organising the tournament was invaluable. The event was also a milestone for Basketball Wales, with the Chairman and other personnel present throughout the day.
The Killester Men’s A team’s participation in this tournament was a valuable experience, not only offering the team an opportunity to compete at an international level but also allowing them to gain experience in high-pressure games.
We would like to extend a big thank you to the management of the Killester A team and those who supported the team in making this trip so successful.
On the Irish front, Killester Men’s A also played a solid and competitive match against the Kerry All Stars in Killarney on February 9th, winning 34-29. This marked the second meeting between the two teams, with the first taking place at a tournament in Waterford last April 2024, where Killester had fallen to Kerry in the final.
Having a competitive game between the teams was a brilliant opportunity to showcase all the athlete’s incredible skills and ability. The competitive nature of the match made it an exciting encounter for both teams. The teams are currently in discussions on having a rematch in Dublin so keep an eye out for what’s guaranteed to be another great game.
Overall, it has been a remarkable season for the Killester Men’s A team, both on the international and domestic fronts. The team’s participation in the Cardiff tournament, along with their confrontation with Kerry, shows their continued growth and competitiveness.
