Fitzpatrick names Ireland squad

National team coach Gerry Fitzpatrick has named a panel of 17 for Ireland's European Men's Basketball Championship games next month.

Ireland tip off the second leg of the semi-final round with a home game against Germany on November 20 and away to Croatia and Macedonia on Nobember 23 and November 27 respectively.

Point-guard Billy Donlon has retired from international basketball to pursue a full time career in coaching. Despite announcing his retirement last year, Gareth Maguire has been named on the panel and will participate in Ireland's friendly against England on November 18.

There are a number of new additions to the panel, including Michael Bree who started the Superleague season with Gleneagle Lakers, but recently signed with Beauvais, France. Bree recently graduated from Davidson College, North Carolina and has been capped at all levels for Ireland.

He won the Irish Basketball "International Player of the Year" award in 1998.

Neptune's Stephen McCarthy is back on the Irish panel after a few years' absence, while Demon's Shane Coughlan is a new addition. Star of the Sea's John Leahy received his Irish passport in time for the 2002/03 season and has been named, but is yet to confirm his availability for

the games.

A huge asset to the Irish team will be the new signing of 6'10'' Cal Bowdler. Bowdler made his NBA debut for the Atlanta Hawks, against the Washington Wizards in 2001 and is currently signed with Kinder Bologna.

Bowdler is currently carrying an ankle injury but is expected to be fit for the games in November.

Fitzpatrick is confident ahead of his first game as head coach since taking over from Bill Dooley and he said: "As a team we have struggled a lot with injury, particularly in the first leg of the competition with Dan Callahan and Mike Mitchell.

"Most of the players have confirmed their availability, so we'll have a deep bench this time round and we will make it tough for our competitors."

Ireland: 1 Tim Kennedy (Deportiva Ovarense), 2 Jay Larranaga (Canarias Telecom, Spain),3 Dan Callahan (Cordivari Roseto, Italy),4 Michael Bree (Beauvais, France), 5 Adrian Fulton (Sx3 Star), 6 Mike Mitchell (Avitos Giessen), 7 Damien Sealy (Dart Killester) , 8 Marty Conlon (SS Basket

Napoli, Italy), 9 John O'Connell (Haribo London Towers), 10 Jimmy Moran (Canarias Telecom, Spain) , 11 Cal Bowdler (Kinder Bologna, Italy), 12 Glenn Sekunda (unattached), 13 John Leahy (Sx3 Star) , 14 Shane Coughlan (Mardyke UCC Demons), 15 Stephen McCarthy (Neptune), 16 Gareth Maguire (Sx3 Star), 17 Mick Richardson (Birmingham Bullets).