Ireland calls for Drogheda basketballers

DROGHEDA’S growing reputation for producing top-class young basketball talent has been further enhanced this week with news of two international selections.

St Oliver’s Community College pupils Kate Kelly and Wede Esajobor have been named in the latest Ireland Under-16 squads following a tough selection process that has seen hundreds of international hopefuls whittled down over the past few months.

Fifteen-year-old Kate, a former All-Ireland Schools shot putt champion with her athletics club Boyne AC who also plays Gaelic with Newtown Blues, is among the 20 players remaining in the girls basketball squad, with one final ‘cut’ to be made before an international tournament in Belarus in December.

Kate was influential in her club Drogheda Sparks’ 44-36 home victory over Cavan Eagles in the North East League at the weekend.

Also prominent for the Sparks were Nikola Busa, Ome Esojobar, Ciara Ni Criosta, Ava Prendergast and Ava Briscoe.

Wede, who plays for the Drogheda Bullets club, is one of 18 players country-wide who has made it into the latest Ireland Boys Under-16 squad and he too will be hoping to represent his country in Belarus just before Christmas, with the European Championships to come in 2019.