Ireland's U18 team got the better of Kosovo in their first classification game of the FIBA European Championship in Romania, edging out a 73-72 scoreline.
It was a hard-fought win for Paul Kelleher's side, who had to come from behind in the fourth to get the result, that wasn't sealed until the last throw of the game.
โ๏ธ Big Q3 on the way.
— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) August 5, 2022
A sharp shooting performance from Jack Kehoe so far with ๐ญ๐ฐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ to his name. ๐ง
๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ค๐ฎ
IRL ๐ฎ๐ช 39-46 ๐ฝ๐ฐ KOS
๐บ https://t.co/gj2lMcs3iE@OldLeighlinBB | #GreenMeansGo ๐ pic.twitter.com/8agvehSvf8
Kosovo got off to a positive start, as the game was in the balance throughout. Ireland showed encouraging signs early on, but their opponents had the answers. The Irish team showed great shooting skills from the likes of Tony Ezeonu and Jack Kehoe, who clocked up 14 points before the interval.
A sign of the times for Ireland was Aivaras Uosis going off with an ankle injury in the second quarter. Head coach Paul Kelleher said that the team is feeling the effects of the tournament. Having said that, the Garvey's Tralee Warriors man came back into the fray and ended up on 11 points.
The second half started similarly with both sides keeping the game in the balance. Tony Ezeonu and Brendan Douanla came to the fore with ten and eight rebounds collectively.
It was Kosovo who had the all-important lead, 62-54 going into the last quarter, but Kelleher’s men dug in and flipped the game around with Ruairí Cronin levelling things on 64 points each.
โ๏ธ ๐พ๐๐๐๐พ๐
— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) August 5, 2022
Ahead with a minute to go.
IRL ๐ฎ๐ช 73-68 ๐ฝ๐ฐ KOS
๐บ https://t.co/gj2lMcs3iE#GreenMeansGo | #FIBAU18Europe๐ pic.twitter.com/MhS9Wc5RDz
Ireland may have thought they had the game sealed late on. Brendan Douanla got the ball through the eye of a needle to team captain, Ruairí Cronin, who obliged in reaching the basket to give Ireland a five-point lead.
However, the opponents fought back and had an opportunity to win the game for themselves with seconds to go, but their shot hit the rim and that sealed the win for a jubilant Ireland side.
๐ช. ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฏ๐. ๐
— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) August 5, 2022
It’s a narrow victory for the U18 men’s team in their first #FIBAU18Europe classification game, coming down to the last throw of the game!
IRL ๐ฎ๐ช 73-72 ๐ฝ๐ฐ KOS #GreenMeansGo | @AwmContractsLtd โ๏ธ pic.twitter.com/gR3goBqHOc
Speaking after the game, head coach Paul Kelleher had this to say:
โ๏ธ “๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก.”
— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) August 5, 2022
๐ฎ๐ช 73-72 ๐ฝ๐ฐ
Hear from U18 head coach @PaulTKelleher after the victory over Kosovo. Up next is the challenge of Norway tomorrow at 13:00. #GreenMeansGo | #FIBAU18Europe ๐ pic.twitter.com/a6MtOdEZyT
Up next, it’s the challenge of Norway at the same time in the 9-12th classification game at 13:00 tomorrow.
Ruairí Cronin 17 points, Jack Kehoe 14 points, Tony Ezeonu 12 points
Ireland 73-72 Kosovo
Ireland v Norway, Saturday August 6th, Bucov, Romania, 13:00