Kieran Shannon: Tralee basketball's growth gospel...according to John

The Warriors are supposed to be in transition after losing a pair of their leading lights. Except no one told head coach John Dowling and his young side

BASKETBALL GROWTH: Garvey's Tralee Warriors’ Head Coach John Dowling. Picture: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

You know you’re in the company of a die-hard when before any mention of the Superleague or the magic of the Cup weekend in Cork, he’s taking you down to the grassroots and offering multiple takes on "what’s the biggest issue we have in Irish basketball”.

“Our rings are too high,” says John Dowling early into the chat we’ve squeezed in between him teaching classes in Mercy Mounthawk secondary school, Tralee and a run to the crèche.