Super League tip-off: The journey is far from done for Templeogue's Jason Killeen

Jason Killeen of Templeogue

It’s so true what they say about age and perspective. Jason Killeen rarely stopped to chew on his achievements earlier in his career but the 36-year old has already digested the events of the summer just passed and the end point to his long international career.

Winning the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries was, he admits, a career highlight, his delight clear to see in the photos taken at the time as he raised aloft the trophy with an arm decorated by a tattooed map of Ireland.

Kileen brought his international career to an end less than a week later. Captain of the side that defeated Malta in the final in Tallaght, he had more than delivered on the cliché about how players should leave the jersey in a better place than they’d found it.

Ireland captain Jason Killeen celebrates with his team-mates after the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries success. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

“I played my first game with the national team in 2007 so it has been 14 years… When I was on the team back then there were maybe two or three Irish-born players on the team and the rest were Americans with Irish passports.

“You fast forward that 14 years and there was one guy who wasn’t born here, or come through the Irish system, so there was almost a feeling of satisfaction that the Irish players are here now. They’re stepping up and winning trophies on the national side of things.

“That’s awesome. Like, I would have coached most of the lads when they were kids along their journeys and seeing them now on the national team and winning trophies… It was time for me to step aside and for the younger guys to start coming through now.”

That sense of contentment has been well-earned via a career that saw him move from Limerick to the Notre Dame Academy at just 16, and from there on to Winthrop and Augusta State before stops in France, England, Malaysia and, of course, Ireland.

He’s 36 now but not in any way done.

Another campaign with Griffith College Templeogue beckons, their season’s business starting tomorrow with the hop across the capital to face the Bright DCU Saints. Killeen will travel with no thoughts of an eventual end game in mind.

“It’s kind of in my head but I’m just looking at this season and I’m looking to enjoy this season and put the practise in and play the games.

“I’ll make a decision after this year is over. If I’m planning two or three more years I won’t enjoy what I’m doing now so just being able to live in the moment a little bit is making everything that bit nicer and more fun.”

The hope for Templeogue is that they can pick off more or less where they left off last March when Basketball Ireland led the way among Ireland’s sporting bodies in calling time on their competitions as Covid swept through the country.

Mark Keenan’s side hadn’t long won a third National Cup title in five years and, while a league title was a reach, there was a Champions Cup to follow as he tried to shake off an ankle injury but then the buzzer sounded prematurely.

The Small Countries tournament did at least allow the national players to train and play long before the majority of their peers got back on court here at home – and to play catch-up with those in the squad who had already been playing regularly abroad.

CJ Fulton had been kept busy with the Winchendon Hoops in Massachusetts, John Carroll, Adrian O’Sullivan, Jordan Blount had been operating in Spain, while Sean Flood had game time banked with the Arvato College Wizards in Germany.

For Killeen, who had spent the lockdowns eating as healthily as he could and practising as much as possible with an eye on that summer business, it left him with no option but to hit the ground running when the squad assembled during the summer.

That same scenario will present itself to the majority of players who take to the floor this weekend as the men’s Insuremyvan.ie SuperLeague and women’s MissQuote.ie equivalent get underway. It’s sink or swim time for everyone.

“You’re looking at the top leagues in the country and the reason these players are there is that they are quality players. The couple of weeks of pre-season is really going to stand to them.

“Maybe fitness might take a few games to get back up but I imagine the mechanics of the game will be there from day one.”

FRIDAY

MissQuote.ie SuperLeague: The Address UCC Glanmire v Team Garvey’s St. Mary’s, 7.45pm.

SATURDAY

InsureMyVan.ie SuperLeague: Tradehouse Central Ballincollig v C&S Neptune, 4pm; NUIG Maree v Moycullen, 7pm; DBS Éanna v Killester, 7pm; Bright DCU Saints v Griffith College Templeogue, 7pm; Garvey’s Tralee Warriors v Team 360 Financial Killorglin, 7.30pm.

MissQuote.ie SuperLeague: Fr. Mathews v Trinity Meteors, 5pm; Leixlip Amenities Liffey Celtics v Killester, 7pm.

InsureMyVan.ie Division 1: Limerick Sport Eagles v Portlaoise Panthers, 7pm; Limerick Celtics v Scotts Lakers Killarney, 7.15pm; Killarney Cougars v UCC Demons, 7.30pm; Drogheda Wolves v Titans, 7.30pm; Ej Sligo All-Stars v McGowans Tolka Rovers, 7.30pm; Ulster University v Abbey Seals Dublin Lions, 7.30pm.

MissQuote.ie Division 1: Limerick Sport Huskies v Portlaoise Panthers, 5pm; Limerick Celtics v Tipperary Knights, 5pm; Ulster University v Griffith College Templeogue, 5pm; Swords Thunder v LYIT Donegal, 5.30pm.

SUNDAY

InsureMyVan.ie Super League: Belfast Star v UCD Marian, 3pm.

MissQuote.ie SuperLeague: DCU Mercy v Waterford Wildcats, 12.15pm; IT Carlow v Singleton Supervalu Brunell, 3.30pm.

InsureMyVan.ie Division 1: IT Carlow v WIT Vikings, 12.30pm; Grand Hotel Malahide v LYIT Donegal, 3.30pm.

MissQuote.ie Division 1: Marble City Hawks v NUIG Mystics, 2pm.