NUIG promoted to top tier of ladies basketball after win

Date Published: 26-Apr-2012

The NUIG Ladies Basketball Team have been promoted to the top tier of colleges basketball for next season after being crowned the All-Ireland Intervarsity B champions recently.

The Galway side ran out comfortable 68-35 winners over Trinity College Dublin in the final in the sports arena of the University of Limerick, with Ailish O’Reilly scoring 25 of her side’s points to be named the game’s MVP.

Both teams started nervous in the opening minutes until Meabh Malone (NUIG) scored with a deep three. The Galway team’s quick transition from defence to offense kept TCD scoreless until Sarah McGrath’s aggressive cut to the basket rewarded in the Dublin side’s first score.

O’Reilly controlled the tempo in the first quarter whilst continuously finding Lauren Murray down the stretch for open jump shots. The first quarter saw NUIG finish with a commanding 19-6 lead.

Another three by O’Reilly put NUIG 28-8 ahead and resulted in TCD head coach Ciaran Dunne calling a time-out to organise his team after two minutes in the second quarter. Trinity increased their pressure on the ball but the introduction of Leah Cunningham for NUIG resulted in some effective interior passing and strong post moves.

NUIG maintained their up-speed tempo and continued to push the ball resulting in fast break layups. TCD’s Rebecca O’Keeffe finished the first half with a series of jump shots around the perimeter but her team still trailed by 19 points, 38-19.

TCD attempted to chip away at NUIG’s big lead but excellent team defence from Malone and Murray kept the TCD guards from penetrating anywhere near the basket. Tena Thornton and Sarah Tierney controlled the boards for NUIG and again O’Reilly was the catalyst for the Galway side as she continued to find open players in the paint to see them increase their lead to 51-28 at the end of the third quarter.

NUIG rotated their bench in the fourth quarter but TCD continued to play hard for pride as they hustled for every play lead by Hannah Fraser on both ends of the court. O’Reilly, who was substituted for the first time in the final quarter, was rewarded with a standing ovation to recognise her 25 point MVP performance.

O’ Reilly and Cunningham were awarded All-Stars to recognise their outstanding performances all weekend.

“I was very impressed with the commitment from the girls throughout the whole year and this weekend in particular. NUIG Ladies are looking forward to the challenge of ‘A’ basketball next year and hopefully will be able to make the transition and compete against the new teams,” said NUIG Head Coach Mike Murray.