Castlebar Comets bring basketball to a new level in Mayo with All-Ireland title
The Castlebar Comets Under 16 boys team were crowned All-Ireland champions as they powered their way to the Under 16 C championships in Co. Meath last Sunday.
Gormanston was the venue for the All-Ireland Club Championships (AICCs), with the 25 best teams in Ireland fighting it out over two days of intense competition.
Expectations were high given the standards this Under 16 team had set for themselves in winning both the Mayo league and cup double, but the bar keeps on rising when you when you have to compete against the best of the rest around the country. Yet it was the ability of Castlebar Comets to reach that bar which saw them bring home a national title – the first by any club team in Mayo in this particular competition.
The achievement reflects the standard of basketball at this level in Castlebar, where the Comets club are putting in tremendous work at all levels with both boys and girls.
The success of this bunch of players, who have been together for a number of years at school and club level, is also a tribute to the two coaches involved. Stephen Collum has been involved with this team from Under 14 up, ably assisted by Mayo Meteors player Daniel Nyland. Both have worked very hard in developing this team and bringing them up to a new level each season.
Over six games played on Saturday and Sunday in Gormanstown, the Castlebar club faced competition from Belfast, Limerick, Kerry, Longford and Tipperary.
Saturday’s games against Limerick Lions, St. Brendan’s of Tralee and Belfast Phoenix saw them qualify for a quarterfinal on Sunday morning against South Tipp Titans.
Comets raced out of the blocks, with their full-court press proving dominant, and they built up a first quarter lead that they would never relinquish.
Next up was a semi-final against Longford Phoenix, where a balanced performance with strong bench contributions led to a comfortable victory.
The final was a rematch with Belfast Phoenix, who the Comets narrowly beat by six points on Saturday.
There were no traces of nerves as the team served up a fast-paced and controlled performance, and when the buzzer went, the scoreboard showed that Comets were All-Ireland champions on a scoreline of 58-35.
Team captain David Collins received the cup on behalf of his team-mates and the Comets parents and supporters raised the roof as the team celebrated their amazing victory.
The team have now completed the treble for the season, winning the league and cup in Mayo, and now being crowned All-Ireland champions.
Coach Stephen Collum shared his pride in the team. He said: “This is an amazingly talented and hard-working bunch of lads, and we are very proud of them. It’s a great day for them, for their families and for the Castlebar Comets club. They have worked hard to get to where they are now.”
This is a first national title for Castlebar Comets but the signs are positive for the future. The Under 16 girls learned a lot from their journey to the AICCs a few weeks ago, and the club is hungry to continue to compete at a national level.