LIMERICK’S Neil Campbell has been included in the Irish Mens Hibernia Basketball team for the upcoming FIBA Europe Cup in October. Campbell, from the UL Eagles Club is the only non Dublin based player in the squad.
The Player Coach, Colin O’Reilly, is one of six C&S UCC Demons players on the panel with 11 other National League clubs being represented.
O’Reilly, Kyle Hosford, Niall Murphy, brothers Adrian & Ciaran O’Sullivan and the newly signed Roy Downey will represent the 2014/2015 treble winners. Neptune’s Michael Bonaparte is named while Jack O’Mahony of Fr Mathews is one of the bolters in the squad, having impressed in last season’s U18 National Cup final.
Belfast Star centre Keelan Cairns is the only Ulster man on the squad while Connacht is represented by newly promoted Moycullen trio Dylan Cunningham, Ronan O’Sullivan and Patrick Lyons.
Isaac Westbrooks and Kevin Lacey are from Swords Thunder with Martins Provizors and Mark Nagle coming in from DCU Saints. Jermaine Turner and Ciaran Roe are Killester’s representatives.
In south Dublin, UCD Marian’s Conor Meany and Dan James return with club mate Neil Baynes.
The Templeogue quartet of Conor Grace, Jason Killeen, Phil Taylor and Luke Thompson complete the squad. Killeen was initially named for the trip to China, but was forced to pull out with an ankle injury.
Three players who lined out for the Men’s Premier League Select at the Sino-European Championships in China are not available for the squad. Demons pair Niall O’Reilly and Shane Coughlan step down while Paul Dick has signed a new contract to play in the LEB Plata in Spain with Araberri.
Niall Murphy, Jack O’Mahony, Michael Bonaparte, Isaac Westbrooks and Neil Campbell are the players who did not train with the Men’s Premier League Select Squad named in February.
All 26 players are invited to attend training sessions and prep games in August and September before the squad is reduced and player availability is assessed. O’Reilly has ‘left the door open’ for bringing in American and other Category 2 players should the need arise.
Hibernia Basketball is a newly formed club made up of players from the Men’s Premier League to compete in the inaugural FIBA Europe Cup.
Guards: Kyle Hosford* (C&S UCC Demons), Roy Downey* (C&S UCC Demons), Adrian O’Sullivan (C&S UCC Demons), Mark Nagle (DCU Saints), Ciaran Roe (Killester), Patrick Lyons (SSE Airtricity Moycullen), Kevin Lacey* (Swords Thunder), Isaac Westbrooks (Swords Thunder), Conor Meany* (UCD Marian), Dan James* (UCD Marian), Forwards: Colin O’Reilly* (C&S UCC Demons), Ciaran O’Sullivan* (C&S UCC Demons), Jack O’Mahony (Fr Mathews), Niall Murphy (C&S UCC Demons), Michael Bonaparte (BFG Neptune), Dylan Cunningham (SSE Airtricity Moycullen), Conor Grace* (Templeogue), Neil Campbell (UL Eagles).
Centres: Keelan Cairns* (Belfast Star), Martins Provizors* (DCU Saints), Jermaine Turner (Killester), Ronan O’Sullivan (SSE Airtricity Moycullen), Jason Killeen (Templeogue), Luke Thompson (Templeogue), Phil Taylor (Templeogue), Neil Baynes (UCD Marian).
*Denotes players who competed at the Sino-European Championships with the Men’s Premier League Select.
Hibernia Basketball Fixtures:
Wednesday October 28th: Bakken Bears vs Hibernia Basketball, 18:15 CET, Vejlby Risslov Hallen, Risskov, DENMARK.
Wednesday November 4th: Tajfun Sentjur vs Hibernia Basketball, 19:00 CET, Golovec Sport Centre, Celje, SLOVENIA
Wednesday November 11th: CEZ Basketball Nymburg vs Hibernia Basketball, 18:30 CET, Sportovni Hala Nymburk, CZECH REPUBLIC
Wednesday November 18th: Hibernia Basketball vs Bakken Bears, 20:30 CET, National Basketball Arena, Dublin.
Wednesday November 25th: Hibernia Basketball vs Tajfun Sentjur, 20:30 CET, National Basketball Arena, Dublin.
Wednesday December 2nd:Hibernia Basketball vs CEZ Basketball Nymburk, 20:30 CET, National Basketball Arena, Dublin.
Ticket details for all of Hibernia Basketball’s home fixtures will be announced on Tuesday September 1st.
