FIBA U20 Men’s Youth EuroBasket 2024

Jul 11 2024

Ireland have arrived in Pitesti, Romania ahead of their FIBA U20 Men’s Youth EuroBasket campaign, which begins against Great Britain at 16:00 tomorrow on the FIBA YouTube Channel and Basketball Ireland website.

OUR OPPOSITION 

Ireland have been drawn in Group ‘B’ alongside Great Britain (46^th), Azerbaijan (85^th) Netherlands (47^th) and Portugal (55th). Ireland are currently ranked 88^th following the 2023 competitions.

They will face each other once over four game days starting on Friday, July 12^th before the top two teams in each of four groups advance to the quarter-finals. The third and fourth place teams will go into the 9-15^th classification games, with the bottom team in each group entering the 16th-21st classification games.

SQUAD NEWS 

There are five debutants at this level – Cathal O’Sullivan (Éanna BC), Olaf Michalczuk (Tralee Warriors), Paul Ryan (St.Vincents), Tobi Ogunbare (Ongar Chasers) and Phillip Kearney (Limerick Celtics).

Michalczuk and O’Sullivan are no strangers to one another after facing off in the U20 Men’s National League Final at the National Basketball Arena in April. Michalczuk’s Tralee Warriors took the win 96-91 on that occasion, but the pair combined for 63-points in a shootout.

Four more make the step up from the U18 squad for the first time – Daryl Cuff (Blue Demons), Jack Kehoe (SETU Carlow), Aivaras Uosis (Tralee Warriors) and Joseph Badejo (Dundalk Ravens). Uosis captained that side and finished the FIBA Youth EuroBasket with a healthy 14.7ppg, while Cuff led his team in assists for the tournament with 3.1 dimes per game. 

Walsh returns just one player from his squad that finished 16^th a year ago, Ruairi Cronin (Limerick Celtics). Cronin averaged 12.7 points, 2.7 assists and 5.9 rebounds playing with another year of eligibility in 2023. 6’5” point-guard Sean Fitzpatrick (Malahide BC) is no stranger to the international scene, previously representing Ireland at U18 level.

VIEW FROM THE BENCH

Speaking ahead of the opening game, head coach Thomas Walsh said: “The boys are very excited for that opening game (against Great Britain). I think it’s a great team to come out and surprise because of the lack of games that we have as a group, so they won’t know much about us. They have more players returning from last year than we do, so we know a little about them and what they are capable of. Our guys know exactly what is expected of them now so I know they will be ready to go come tip-off on Friday.  

Walsh is joined on the bench by assistants Pat Price, Shane O’Meara and Sean Kearney, as well as physio Conor Brennan and team manager Trish Nolan.  

LAST TIME OUT

Ireland finished 16th in this competition in 2023 in the face of a very tough draw during the group phase which saw them lose to Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia and North Macedonia, who were the hosts. 

FIXTURES

Ireland v Great Britain, Friday, July 12^th, 16:00, Pitesti (ROU) – WATCH LIVE

Ireland v Azerbaijan, Sunday, July 14^th, 11:00, Pitesti (ROU) – WATCH LIVE

Ireland v Netherlands, Tuesday, July 16^th, 16:00, Pitesti (ROU) – WATCH LIVE

Ireland v Portugal, Wednesday, July 17^th, 13:30, Pitesti (ROU) – WATCH LIVE

Ireland squad:

Cathal O’Sullivan (Éanna BC), Daryl Cuff (Blue Demons), Sean Fitzpatrick/Christian McDonnell (Malahide BC), Jack Kehoe (SETU Carlow), Olaf Michalczuk (Tralee Warriors), Ruairi Cronin (Limerick Celtics, University of St Joseph’s, Connecticut) Aivaras Uosis (Tralee Warriors, The Hill School, Pennsylvania), Paul Ryan (St Vincent’s), Joe Badejo (Dundalk Ravens, Andrews Osborne Academy, Ohio), Tobi Ogunbare (Ongar Chasers, Millersville University, PA), Philip Kearney (Limerick Celtics).