Ireland power to 78-63 win over Norway in JYSK Summer Series

Sarah Hickey showed her class on the international stage once more, powering Ireland to a 78-63 win over Norway in the JYSK Summer Series in front of a capacity crowd at the National Basketball Arena.

The SETU Waterford Wildcats star topped the box score with an impressive double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds to help James Weldon’s side to victory over the Scandinavians, who sit 14 places above Ireland in the FIBA World Rankings.

Hickey wasn’t the only star on show. Ella O’Donnell also put her hand up for more minutes in the future, with an impressive 11 points, six rebounds and a steal after only being called into the gameday squad when Bridget Herlihy pulled out through injury. Elsewhere, Kerry’s Lorraine Scanlon - making her debut at the age of 32 - put in a solid display, grabbing herself four points in just over six minutes of action.

An impressive first half of shooting saw Ireland return to the locker room with a 42-35 advantage. Eight players got their names in the boxscore, contributing to Ireland’s second highest first-half points total in three years, only behind the 46-points amassed during the 96-90 defeat to Latvia in FIBA EuroBasket qualifying in February. 

The ability of Hickey, Abigail Rafferty and O’Donnell’s to cause problems for Norway in the paint gave Ireland good looks from beyond the arc, and their shot selection thereafter will have been particularly pleasing to Ireland’s coaching staff. Sorcha Tiernan found her range early to drain two long range bombs, while Hazel Finn and Enya Maguire also chipped in as Weldon’s side shot 4/9 (44%) from distance in the first two quarters.

The interval did nothing to interrupt Ireland’s rhythm and a 25-point showing in the third quarter put the game beyond their opponents. Norway’s coach had clearly made a point of closing down Ireland’s shooters at the break, but as they tried to heed their coach’s instructions, Hickey, O’Donnell and Rafferty made them pay inside. The trio combined for 18 points in the ten-minute stretch, with Ireland again showing impressive accuracy, shooting 8/11 (73%) from inside 22 feet.

Ireland’s lead was 18-points entering the final quarter and Weldon used that time to give valuable minutes to the returning Kara McCleane, Annaliese Murphy Lauryn Homan and the aforementioned Scanlon with the game in hand.

“It’s always fantastic to play in front of a full crowd here in the Arena,” said Ireland’s captain Edel Thornton afterwards. “We always get that during the FIBA EuroBasket qualifiers too, but it’s fantastic to be able to give them a win against a good Norway team. It was brilliant to be back in camp this week and have a few new and familiar faces in with us, so just delighted then to go out and put it together and get the win.”

 

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Quarter Scores:

Q1: 23-16, Q2: 19-19, Q3: 25-14, Q4: 11-14

Game Scores:

Q1: 23-16, Q2: 42-35, Q3: 67-49, Q4: 78-63

Ireland:

Edel Thornton (8), Hazel Finn (9), Sorcha Tiernan (6), Enya Maguire (9), Kara McCleane (1), Kate Hickey (4), Sarah Hickey (19), Lauryn Homan (0), Abigail Rafferty (4), Lorraine Scanlon (4), Annaliese Murphy (3), Ella O’Donnell (11) 

Norway:

Synne Jacobsen (3), Maren Mildestvedt (3), Tori Halvorsen (6), Vilde Havnes (0), Stine Austgulen (11), Synne Jacobsen, Sunniva Sørbye (7), Anna Horvig Wikstrøm (11), Severine Uggen (3), Karoline Teigland (10), Micol Torresani (5), Alva Julsrud (4).