Irish men get to stick to the basketball after Israel boycott controversy
Ireland's Head Coach Mark Keenan Pic ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
An overdue air of normality threatened to settle back over Irish basketball yesterday as Mark Keenan and some of his players held court from Prishtina before the men’s team’s first ever game at FIBA World Cup level.
Their pre-qualifier away to Kosovo tomorrow will fall exactly a fortnight after the boycott controversy that peaked when their female counterparts faced Israel in a EuroBasket tie in Latvia, and in the wake of Basketball Ireland’s curious banishment from Instagram.
Keenan had sympathy for the impossible situation in which his counterpart James Weldon and the women's team found themselves in Riga, and in the weeks and months beforehand, but there was little surprise in his attempt to look forward rather than back.
“We’re all aware that there was a lot of media attention around that game with Israel. Everybody is aware what’s going on over there at the moment. To be honest, right now I’m here in Kosovo, trying to get ready for our game.
“That all happened last week. We’re here now, preparing ourselves the best way possible for this game. Whatever went on on social media, of course, it created a lot of attention and that’s in the past now. I’m the men’s coach so that’s what I’m concentrating on here.”
Unlike Weldon earlier this month, Keenan was able to operate in a comfort zone that centred on talk of the opposition’s strengths, potential new caps and the job at hand for him in putting together a team in the midst of the club and college seasons.
There are none of Ireland’s US-based ball players available for this group opener, or for the next two windows, but then the visitors aren’t alone in that across Europe as they contemplate their Kosovan test and the visit to Tallaght of Switzerland this coming Sunday.
“Obviously, with US-based players not being available for us this time, the squad was going to change with these windows throughout the season. So I’m delighted to have fresh blood in the team,” said Keenan.
“The new guys coming into the squad are there on merit, [with] what they’ve done in the Super League and what they've done in the past at international level coming through the underage set-up.
“Like, Irish-American wise, with Neal (Quinn) being in college, he wasn't going to be available for us. We did have a look around to see what options were there. And nothing was right for us now so that's where we are with that.”
Among the other options explored was Fenerbahce Beko’s Irish-qualified forward James Metecan Birsan but Keenan received no reply. Conor Morgan, now playing with London Lions, was another sounded out but he remains committed to his native Canada.
It is what it is. A couple of those US-based players will graduate in the coming months and that should make them more available to a national squad that will come together for a training block and maybe a couple of friendlies during the summer.
The focus for now turns to the newer faces.
The UCC Demons pair of James Beckom and David Lehane are freshers in the 12-man squad named for today’s tie. So is Rapolas Buivydas of Garvey’s Tralee Warriors as Ireland go up against a side sitting three places above them in the rankings.
Azerbaijan are the fourth team in a group where the winner will proceed to the second round of pre-qualifiers. The best second-placed team from the three groups will join them. It’s a big ask for Keenan's side.
Kosovo have close to a full deck for this one. Keenan painted the picture of a side with three or four mature starters and a physical collective not unlike a Cyprus team Ireland beat twice a few years ago but one playing at a better level.
The Ireland coach feels Ireland will need to reach their own ceiling.
“We know they had a very good campaign during the summer there in round three of the EuroBasket series. They had two very good wins against Switzerland, one close game with Denmark, so we know they are a quality team.
“They’re above us in the rankings, playing at home, so it's going to be very tough, very physical. A mature side, I would describe them as. So, yeah, tough opposition, but we’re looking forward to getting the campaign underway.”
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