Mount Anville beat Pipers Hill College 39-33 to claim U19C girls title in Pinergy All-Ireland Schools Cup finals

Mount Anville won the U19C Girls final in the first game of the 2021/22 Pinergy All-Ireland Schools Cup Finals, beating Pipers Hill 39-33 at the National Basketball Arena. Grace Prenter claimed the MVP after a brilliant 22-point haul for the victors.

The Dublin school led 11-6 at the end of the opening quarter, Pipers Hill went in front for the first time, 18-17, with 30 seconds to go in the second quarter thanks to a basket by Stephanie Nnabuihe. Mount Anville reclaimed the lead through Prenter in the dying seconds of the quarter, the point guard finished the half with 10 points in total, backed up by Aine Roche who had seven. For Pipers Hill Nnabuihe had six, while Mya Pardy was not far behind, on four points, at the break.

Pipers Hill started the third quarter well and established a six point advantage by the midpoint, 27-21, when Nnabuihe added to her tally. Prenter took the game by the scruff of the neck after that and went on a 10-point run, including two two three-point jump shots to put Mount Anville back in control and they led 31-27 going into the final quarter.

A two point jump shot by Roche just after the first minute of the final quarter, followed by another basket by Prenter stretched Mount Anville’s lead to 35-27. Pipers Hill battled their way back and got within four points in the final 30 seconds, but failed to convert some free throw opportunities. It was Prenter who had the final say with a lay-up to complete a 39-33 victory.

 Mount Anville's Grace Prenter receives her MVP award from Basketball Ireland president PJ Reidy

“It's been a long time coming for this group of girls, some of them it's full six years they've been working. This year we just got a great squad together. There's five sixers on this team that really held the squad together, their spirit showed in some of those quarters, they went behind a few times, but we put that fight in them from the very start and it really payed off today.” - Mount Anville head coach, Richard Powell

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 11-6 Q2: 8-12 Q3: 12-9 Q4: 8-6

Top three scorers:

Mount Anville: Grace Prenter (22), Aine Roche (12), Esme Boylan and Anna Crowley (both 2)

Pipers Hill: Stephanie Nnabuihe (17), Mya Pardy (9), Niamh Farrelly (3)

Line-ups:

Pipers Hill College: Kathryn Cahill, Katie Fagan, Alannah Kane, Sara Cahill, Niamh Farrelly, Kate O’Neill, Mya Pardy, Stephanie Nnabuihe, Emma Condon, Olivia Miley, Ella Doyle, Sarah Collins, Jorja Goldring.

Mount Anville: Georgia McPoland, Niamh Rooney, Ava Keenan, Aine Roche, Anna Crowley, Esme Boylan, Sara Davy, Aoife McMahon, Rachel Marron, Tara Power, Leah Burke, Grace Prenter.