Col‡iste ƒinde boys in double dreamland as titles go west

Date Published: {J}

Coláiste Éinde 53

Tallaght CS 28

COLÁISTE Éinde secured the All Ireland Schools League U16C boys basketball title on Thursday last after a comprehensive win over Tallaght Community School.

Tomas Mitkus deservedly claimed the ‘MVP’ award after contributing 28 points and 12 rebounds of his school’s overall tally. It was the Tallaght team who started the brighter with Craig Palmer contributing a turnaround jumper in the opening stages before Mitkus responded for the Galway school with a basket which was to turn out to be their only score of the quarter.

Tallaght closed the quarter with a reverse lay-up from Palmer to leave seven points (11-4) between the sides at the end of the first quarter. However, Coláiste Éinde started the second quarter in blistering fashion with Tallaght finding it hard to cope with Mitkus, who struck 12 points in a hugely productive second period.

Djibola Busari provided some respite for Tallaght but further good work from Toms Fabriciuss gave Éinde a 23-16 half time advantage. Palmer was doing his utmost to bring Tallaght back into the contest but the gap was stretched to 20 points by the time Éinde‘s Seán Hughes had drained three free throws and a bucket.

In the closing seconds, Mitkus got an offensive rebound and easy put back to increase the gap to 22 points going into the fourth quarter. The onslaught continued in the final quarter and despite Tallaght’s best efforts they were unable to claw back the lead with Éinde running out 53-28 winners.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.