Presentation Carlow win U16 ‘B’ Boys All-Ireland Schools Cup with 63-36 victory over Kildare Town

Presentation Carlow won the U16 ‘B’ Boys All-Ireland Schools Cup after a 63-36 victory over Kildare Town at the National Basketball Arena on Wednesday. Ben Nolan earned MVP for Presentation Carlow with 23 points, but was helped by another big performance from Denisas Ribinskis, who had 18 of his own.

Both sides traded scores in the opening quarter, but a Harry Ryan three and Ribinskis score inside managed to stretch a four-point gap for Presentation Carlow, at 13-9, midway through the first quarter.

A Flynn Bercia finish at the rim reduced the lead two points with a minute to go, but Ribinskis ended the quarter with a putback finish at the rim, followed by a tough finish through two defenders to give Presentation Carlow a 23-17 lead heading into the second period.

Presentation came out firing in the second quarter, going on a 12-0 run in the first three minutes, capped off by two fast-break scores from Nolan which pushed Presentation Carlow into a 35-17 lead midway through the quarter.

They would continue to keep the momentum going, ending the quarter with a Ryan three from the top of the key, to take a 44-22 advantage into the half-time interval.

 Ben Nolan attacking for Presentation Carlow in U16 ‘B’ Boys All-Ireland Schools Cup final in the National Basketball Arena

Kildare Town tried to force their way back in to the game in the third quarter, with Joel Frost and Bercia adding early scores for them, but were instantly pegged back by seven straight points from Ribinskis and Nolan, giving Presentation Carlow a 28-point cushion heading into the final quarter, at 56-28.

Kildare fought to the end with Bercia and Lyanu Ojo adding scores early in the fourth to start well and bring the score to 56-34. Presentation Carlow ended the game strongly with a three from Ryan, followed by two strong finishes from Nolan and Ross Egan inside the final minute to give Presentation Carlow the victory.

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 23-17, Q2: 21-5, Q3: 12-6, Q4: 7-8

Game Scores:

Q1: 23-17, Q2: 44-22, Q3: 56-28, Q4: 63-36

Presentation Carlow: Mael O’Rock, Harry Ryan, Noel Butler, Angelo Cunningham, Ross Egan, Jamaal Adegoke, Cathal Renehan, Ben Nolan, Zuxin Huang, Quincey Ogbuka, Denisas Ribinskis, Temi Adetoro

Top Scorers: Ben Nolan (23), Densisas Ribinskis (18), Harry Ryan (11)

Kildare Town: Lyanu Ojo, Jack Brammeld, Reece Clancy, Alex Dobbyn, Gabriele Garofalo, Jack Conway, Joel Frost, Alex Farnan, Padraig Gleeson, Flynn Bercia, Sean O’Carroll, Mikey O’Carroll, Caleb Frost

Top Scorers: Joel Frost (11), Flynn Bercia (11), Gabriele Garofalo (3)