Academy victorious in Year 8 basketball tournament

The Ballymena Academy team who won the Ballymena Schools Year 8 basketball tournament, pictured with Katrina McCaughan (Council Sports Development Officer), Ryan Hayes (coach) and Paul McKee (tournament organiser). INBT18-216AC

The event was sponsored by the Ballymena Council Sports Development team with a special thanks to Katrina McCaughan who got behind the venture organised by the Blackstone Basketball Club.

The schools taking part were St Patrick’s College, Cambridge House, Dunclug and Ballymena Academy.

The contest was played on a league basis with a top two final encounter that saw Ballymena Academy, coached by Ryan Hayes, defeat St Patrick’s Ballymena, coached by Paul McKee.

This was a fiercely contested game with both teams in contention until the closing stages. The Academy came out winners 32–27 by dominating the boards in the closing stages. They used a considerable height advantage close in and shot the vital scores to take the trophy.

The tournament was a forerunner to next season’s launch of basketball coaching in the Leisure Centre on a Saturday afternoon from 1-3 pm.

The new club will be coached by Blackstone members with the aim of linking to the cross Community Development Project that will begin in Primary Schools in the Ballymena area.

Peace Players, an American-based group will be working in the Primary schools delivering their programme through basketball.

The Leisure Centre club will offer coaching for for U 14s and U-12s that will be an extension of the work in the Primary and Secondary schools.