Coogan and Irish team advance to European quarter-finals

Ireland’s under-20 basketball team are through to the quarter-finals of the FIBA Women’s European Championship after a hard-fought 67-64 win over tournament hosts Romania on Sunday.

There were big performances from Kilkenny’s Lucy Coogan and Kara McCleane in the win - they had 14 points apiece and eight and four rebounds respectively.

University of Galway Mystics player Hazel Finn exemplified the defensive determination among the team with 10 steals to go along with her 18 points. Sarah Hickey also shone with her all-round game, picking up nine rebounds, five points, four assists, three steals.

Ireland built a 20-12 lead after the first quarter, but the next two were honours even, Karl Kilbride’s side maintaining their eight-point advantage going into the final quarter, 55-47. The home side rallied in the fourth quarter and took the lead 63-61 with 3’10 remaining, thanks to Anisia Croitoru’s three point jump shot.

Ireland were unfazed, a McCleane free-throw and Maria Kealy’s layup helped nudge them back in front, 64-63, with a little over a minute remaining. Three free throws from Finn down the stretch was enough to give Ireland a 67-64 win and with it a place in the last eight.

Afterwards, the Irish coaching team hailed their side’s victory, calling it a just reward for the team’s performance.

“What a gutsy performance from the girls,” said under-20 women’s assistant head coach, Niamh Dwyer. “When we needed to dig deep and do the hard work and the dirty work, we showed we can compete with anyone in this (tournament) and to get to a quarter-final with a victory like that is going to stand to us.”

Ireland: Katie Flanagan (DNP), Emma Glavin (6), Sinead Keane (0), Sarah Hickey (5), Ellie Glavin (0), Hazel Finn (18), Maria Kealy (8), Kara McCleane (14), Emily Smyth (0), Ella O’Donnell (2), Micalah Fubara (0), Lucy Coogan (14).

Results

FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship Group B

Ireland 80, Greece 74

Ireland 67, Romania 64

Fixtures

Quarter-final fixture:

Friday, August 4

Ireland v opponents TBC