Basketball: Dominant Ireland claim European Championship for Small Countries title

'The guys are superb, I think they’re all MVP’s there. They all sacrificed minutes for the good of the team and that is how we won the tournament'

Sun, 15 Aug, 2021 - 21:32

Ireland have won the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries, after a 97-66 victory over Malta.

John Carroll and Jordan Blount were the Ireland’s top scorers on the night, with 20 and 17 points respectively. Their consistent performances throughout the week saw them included in the tournament All-Star team too.

It took Ireland two minutes to register their first points, a Carroll jump shot. The first quarter was played at a frantic pace after that, Sean Flood’s three point jump shot bringing the game level at 8-8. A Ciaran Roe three-point jump shot in the final minute of the quarter made it 23-15, before one of Malta’s leading lights, Tevin Falzon, reduced arrears by two with a layup.

Ireland opened the second quarter with a Will Hanley a three point jump shot within 15 seconds, but Malta responded with eight unanswered points.

However, with Will Hanley catching the eye, Ireland powered ahead and by half-time led 51-32.

The momentum was with Ireland, midway through the third quarter a three point jump shot from the corner by CJ Fulton had Ireland 66-38 up.

Ireland kept their composure in the fourth quarter, Carroll’s dunk just under two and a half minutes in was greeted with raucous cheers from the Irish bench, Ireland’s lead was now 21 points, 79-58. Neil Randolph finished off the game in style with a three point jump shot in the closing seconds as Ireland rounded out a 97-66 win.

“We pulled off another great performance this evening, I know it was a little bit dodgy in the second half, but we got that comfortable lead," Ireland head coach Mark Keenan said.

"The guys are superb, I think they’re all MVP’s there. They all sacrificed minutes for the good of the team and that is how we won the tournament, hats off. The rest of my staff, absolutely super.

It would have been lovely to have two thousand fans here to cheer on, but it doesn’t take away what an absolute achievement and I think this team now needs to move on now. I think we’ve showed, Basketball Ireland, we need to be at the next level.”

IRELAND: CJ Fulton (5), Ciaran Roe (5), Kyle Hosford (2), Sean Flood (16), Lorcan Murphy (10), Neil Randolph (3), Adrian O’Sullivan (7), Jordan Blount (17), Eoin Quigley (1), Will Hanley (7), John Carroll (20), Jason Killeen (4).

MALTA: Jack Zammit (6), David Bugeja (DNP), Alec Felice Pace (10), Peter Shoults (5), Matthew Scerri (0), Nathan Xuereb (6), Tevin Falzon (17), Ian Felice Pace (10), Aaron Falzon (13), Kurt-Joseph Xuereb (9), Phillip Engelbert (0).