Centres hailed as a slam dunk

BASKETBALL courts around Ireland may be lying idle at the moment, but there was some good news for the sport yesterday as NUI Galway and Ulster University Jordanstown were announced as new centres of excellence.

The facilities will be available to international sides, and Basketball Ireland academies, as well as high-performance athletes for strength and conditioning, sports medicine and training.

‘This is a bit of positivity in what has been a negative time,’ said Mike Murray, NUI Galway’s Director of Basketball. ‘If Mark Keenan is bringing down the international senior men’s for a training camp, local coaches can come in and pick up tips from what Mark is doing. It will develop their own coaching expertise.’ The NUI Galway centre will host international fixtures, national senior and university competititons, and local schools competitions in Galway.

‘We are delighted to be teaming up with NUI Galway and Ulster University,’ said Basketball Ireland CEO Bernard O’Byrne. ‘Both institutions have wonderful facilities and a proven track record in sport, developing athletes for elite competition. ‘These centres of excellence are a major infrastructural initiative by Basketball Ireland to deliver worldclass facilities and will give our international players and teams the best chance of success when they compete.’ O’Byrne hopes the new centres will further sport’s growth across the country in recent times.

‘ We have seen a surge in interest in basketball and we are determined to continue its growth,’ he said.