Ireland’s women prepare for European basketball return

Collegiate freshman at Quinnipiac University, Edel Thornton is one of five overseas inclusions in Mark Scannell’s provisional Senior Women’s squad for Ireland’s re-entry into international tournament play after a six-year hiatus.

The squad for the FIBA European Championships for Small Countries in June features players from eight Women’s Premier League teams as well as one from newly promoted NUIG Mystics.

Orla O’Reilly is in her third season with CB Bembibre in Spain’s Liga Femenina with Stephanie O’Sullivan based in Canada and Keyano College and Jessica Scannell playing for Melbourne Tigers. Jessica’s sister Clodagh is in her senior year with Boston University while Thornton is impressing in her first year in Pennsylvania.