The basketball teams of 6th class in St. Matthews have, for two years in a row, added new cups and trophies for the glass vitrine in the school.
NewsFour looked back over the boys and girls season with coach Mick Byrne. “We played in the Dublin Schools Mini Basketball League, South East Division. It‘s one fixture against each opponent and no return match“. Once the group stage was finished both St. Matthews teams came out on top and went on to play against the Dublin South West Winners.
The boys faced off Fir House N.S. while the girls came up against St. Killians from Clonskeagh. Both times St. Matthews proved clear winners just as the year before. The finales in the National Basketball arena in Tallaght comes with a special challenge. “It is laid out for adult games, so the basket is higher to what our pupils are used to. At the league games it’s 8 feet up now in the big arena it’s actually 10 feet from the ground. But they get used to it quickly”, said Mick.
The training continued in the New Year for the mixed tournament in May. Twelve players, girls and boys can make the team. Mick Byrne, added his Breakfast Basketball on Wednesday mornings. Half an hour before the school gates usually open the keen players turned up for some extra training and a chance to be picked for the player panel.
The tournament with the other invited teams from National Schools including Sutton, Bootertown, Holywell Swords and Castlepark Dalkey saw St. Matthews came a close second. Or so they thought. “But a few days ago we actually got a phone call from the organisers that there had been counting mistake on the score sheet. We actually won all four of our games”, said Mick.
That meant it was again three titles out of three.
The 6th class who won these titles are now taking their next step in education enrolling in secondary. The incoming 6th class in September will surely want to continue the successful basketball tradition at St. Matthews.
By Kathrin Kobus
