Tralee Warriors crowned All-Ireland champions

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Basketball Ireland Under 20 Men's National League Final, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 13/4/2024
Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors' Olaf Michalczuk is congratulated by teammates after winning the MVP Award
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors' Brian O'Leary celebrates winning
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Tralee Warriors are Mens U20 National League for the second year in row after a 96-91 over Éanna in a high quality decider at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. Alan Cantwell reports

An outstanding game high 33 points from Olaf Michalczuk and a solid display of shooting from Joshua Osayanrhion with 24 allied to point guard and captain Eddie Sheehy conducting affairs from the top of the key cemented the young Warriors’ back to back title win. Some excellent defence from Donal O'Sullivan, Eoin Creedon and Osayanrhion held the impressive Éanna attack, particularly late on, to see out the win.

The opening quarter threatened to turn into a personal duel between Warriors Olaf Michalczuk and Éanna’s Neil Coghlan as the respective sharpshooters lit up early on. Dean Kiernan nailed an effort from outide for Éanna to start the bidding but Michalczuk responded by swotting in a hat-trick of threes to build an 11-6 lead for the Tralee side. However Coghlan went one better by landing four majors in row to see the Dublin side lead by 5. Kiernan and captain Cathal O’Sullivan edged Éanna further ahead but late efforts from Eddie Sheehy and Brian O’Leary cut the gap to 22-20 at quarter time.

The second quarter rocked and rolled from one end to the other with the Warriors having the better of the early exchanges. Evan Boyle and O’Leary were in range from distance and when Boyle added again and Sheehy converted after a pinpoint pass from Osayanrhion the Warriors wrestled the lead back and forced an Éanna time out call. Out of the timeout Éanna conjured a four point play from Shanay Shah which left a single point between the teams but Osaynarhion and Sheehy would share the next 11 points for the Warriors while efforts from O’Sullivan, Nathan Comerford and Victor Lovic kept the Warriors in check. However despite a late double from Comerford for Éanna, Osayanrhion and Michalczuk would both fire down from beyond the arc to give the Warriors a deserved lead of 49-42 at half time.

The Warriors took the initiative to push on in the third after O’Sullivan, Shah and Coghlan narrowed the gap but a double from Donal O’Sullivan and two superb threes from Michalczuk gave the Tralee side a double digit lead. Osayanrhion with an identical double and David Lucid with his first of the day pushed the gap to 14 and Éanna again had to call a timeout to regroup. The quick break worked as the Dublin side hit 9 for the next 12 points scored but Evan Boyle restored order for Warriors with a corner three. However Éanna pegged the advantage back to single figures with O’Sullivan and Comerford taking full advantage from the line to cut the gap to 76-67 at three quarter time.

Éanna were on the mark early in the fourth through Lovic and another major from captain O’Sullivan but Michalczuk’s radar was still on point and he landed his seventh three of the contest to keep six between the sides. Another Michalczuk double either side of efforts from Creedon and Osayanrhion has the advantage back out to 12 but Comeford and a quickfire six from the Éanna captain had the lead done to a single score at 87-84. What proved to be the killer score in the contest Michalczuk cracked in his eighth three to spread the game again and when Brian O’Leary and Osayanrhion both converted from the line the gap was back out to 10 with 1’27’’ on the clock. Éanna battled to the final buzzer and even with scores from Lovic, Comerford and Coghlan it wasn’t enough and fittlingly Michalczuk and Osayanrhion landed the final scores of the game to seal the Mens U20 National League title for the second year in a row.

Scorers:
Tralee Warriors: Olaf Michalczuk 33, Joshua Osayanrhion 24, Eddie Sheehy 13
Éanna: Cathal O’Sullivan 30, Neil Coghlan 22, Nathan Comerford 17

Captain Eddie Sheehy gratefully accepted the Mens U20 National trophy for the second year running and Olaf Michalczuk deservedly picked up MVP award.

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Basketball Ireland Under 20 Men's National League Final, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 13/4/2024
Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors celebrate winning
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors captain Eddie Sheehy leads the celebrations after the game
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors’ Eddie Sheehy receives a hug from his mother Agnes after the game
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors celebrate winning
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The third quarter saw Eanna try to close the gap, captain Cathal O’Sullivan was certainly driving them forward, a pair of baskets in the opening minute and a half saw the gap close to five, 53-48. But Michalczuk was proving deadly from the three point line, back-to-back threes had Tralee Warriors up by 11 points, 61-50, four minutes in. It would be a nine point deficit by the end of the quarter thanks to a pair of Nathan Comerford free throws for Éanna, as they trailed 76-67.

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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors' Phoenix Costello and Olaf Michalczuk celebrate winning
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors' Phoenix Costello and Olaf Michalczuk celebrate winning
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors’ Olaf Michalczuk is challenged by Dean Kiernan of Eanna
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The gap was 10 points again following Brian O’Leary and Osayanrhion free throws, Tralee Warriors 94-84 up with 2’40” left. Éanna went with the full court press as they tried to chased down their opponents, they got within five points in the end, but Tralee emerged victorious on a 96-91 scoreline.

Tralee Warriors captain, Eddie Sheehy, said: “Great game, fair play to Éanna – they really put it up to us, but we know the group of guys we have. It’s an amazing group, everyone can play, we’ve known each other for years. My time and a few of the other boys’ time with the U20’s is up, but hopefully that can translate now on to the Super League and push on to the Super League team.”

On MVP Olaf Michalczuk, Sheehy added: “Unbelievable performance from Olaf. That’s nothing to Olaf, he can score 45 points if he wants to. He was in the States last year and he came back and he deserves it, he’s been great all season, club and Super League and U20’s, he deserves it all.”

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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Tralee Warriors’ Eddie Sheehy is challenged by Cathal O'Sullivan of Eanna
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Eanna's Cathal O'Sullivan
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Eanna's Cathal O'Sullivan is challenged by Eoin Creedon and Olaf Michalczuk of Tralee Warriors
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Eanna's Viktor Lovic is challenged by Olaf Michalczuk and Donal O'Sullivan of Tralee Warriors
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Eanna's Viktor Lovic is challenged by Eoin Creedon and Donal O'Sullivan of Tralee Warriors
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Tralee Warriors 96–91 Éanna

Quarter Scores: Q1: 20-22, Q2: 49-42, Q3: 76-67, Q4: 96-91

Tralee Warriors:

Donal O’Sullivan, Joshua Osayanrhion, Olaf Michalczuk, Evan Boyle, Gary Lynch, Eddie Sheehy, David Lucid, Eoin Creedon, Eli Fitzgerald, Brian O’Leary, Andrew Wallace, Phoenix Costello

Head Coach: Luke O’Hea

Top Scorers: Olaf Michalczuk 33, Joshua Osayanrhion 24, Eddie Sheehy 13

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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Eanna's Nathan Comerford is challenged by Eoin Creedon and Eddie Sheehy of Tralee Warriors
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
Eanna's Nathan Comerford is challenged by Eoin Creedon and Eddie Sheehy of Tralee Warriors
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Tralee Warriors Joshua Osayanrhion challenges Cathal O'Sullivan of Eanna
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Tralee Warriors vs Eanna
The Tralee Warriors team photo
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Éanna:

Tom Sinnott, Cathal O’Sullivan, Ronan Little, Shanay Shah, Mark Keogh, Sheun Bamidele, James Janas, Nathan Comerford, Adam Walsh, Dean Kiernan, Viktor Lovic, Neil Coghlan

Head Coach: Ciaran O'Sullivan

Top Scorers: Cathal O’Sullivan 30, Neil Coghlan 22, Nathan Comerford 17