Ireland U16 boys win Four Nations Championship following 89-85 win over England

Ireland U16 boys have been crowned Four Nations champions after a pulsating 89-85 win over defending champions England in overtime at the National Basketball Arena.

Ireland rallied from five points down with four minutes remaining to take it to overtime. Éanna Basketball Club’s Adam Charles showed immense composure to capture a rebound, hit a spin move and make the crucial basket with just 18 seconds on the clock. Charles Marcoullier came up big in that overtime period.  He subbed in for Dylan O’Rourke with Ireland trailing by a point, before scoring the next six points to give Ireland an 86-81 lead the wouldn’t relinquish.  

The moment Ireland U16 Men became Four Nations champions. 🏆

This game will be relived for some time. #Greenmeansgo ☘️ pic.twitter.com/G76lTxkdPb

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) April 6, 2023

To that point, the contest had been one filled with drama, skill and played at a frenetic pace in front of a lively crowd. The away side had the better of the opening exchanges and led 22-16 after the first. Ireland grew into the game in the second quarter and narrowed the gap to three points by the close of play. Marcoullier, Noah Winders, Darragh Horkan, Dylan O’Rourke, Adam Charles, Eoin Potito and Rojus Rimas all contributing points in a magnificent team display of shooting. Rimas’ sending the home fans happily into the interval with a  closing three that made it 41-39 in favour of England at half-time.

Some incredible defence from both teams in the final two quarters had all fans in the National Basketball Arena on their feet. A big Noah Winders block at the midway point of the third on an onrushing Kervy Mabaya-Muteba being the highlight. This spark soon saw Ireland in front following a Kieran Quinn languid shot from beyond the arc, which made it 50-46, but an 11-4 England run to close the period ensured Mick Lynch’s team would need to dig deep in the dying embers.

Irish players celebrate their win at the final buzzer. 

 With several players in foul trouble at the start of the fourth, the head coach turned to Kareem Matonmi. The Baltinglass Bulldog repaid his coaches’ faith with numerous big rebounds on both ends of the court, also contributing a vital score to bring Ireland back to 73-71 down with 1:20 left on the clock, ending a run of back to back buckets for England. Kieran Quinn thought he’d won it for Ireland with a huge corner three until Jack Walton went coast to coast, getting the and one; to send the travelling English fans into raptures. That jubilation was short lived though, as the aforementioned Charles gathered a rebound that will live long in the memory of the players, coaches and fans in the National Basketball Arena on Thursday evening.

Eoin Potito, Darragh Horkan and Adam Charles receive the Four Nations trophy from Basketball Ireland CEO John Feehan. 

Ireland reached the deciding game having put in a very convincing 99-39 performance against Scotland earlier in the day. Dylan O’Rourke, Adam Charles and Cillian Cannon topped the box score on that occasion with 16, 14 and 10 points respectively in a game that all players found themselves on the scoresheet.

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U16 Boys Four Nations results: 

Wednesday 5^th April  

Scotland 42-95 England

Ireland 71-62 Wales

Thursday 6^th April  

England 80-43 Wales

Ireland 99-39 Scotland

Wales 91-87 Scotland (OT)

Ireland 89-85 England (OT)