DART LADIES SIGN TRUNCALE
The ladies coach of DART KILLESTER Mark Grennell has managed to complete a deal for the club to get the signature of Leah Truncale. Leah is from Binghamton University which is a very good NCAA D1 affiliate program. She is 6-1' and an explosive offensive player and Grennell is happy to have her as part of the team this year.
"We have been watching Leah play for Meteors the past couple of season's. She has always stood out against us and in my mind was top 3 import over the past 3 seasons. I am delighted that she has agreed to come to DART KILLESTER and it has given us a massive boost to start the season. Leah is a gifted player who can go inside and out and having spoken with her many times I believe that she is hungry for this opportunity and I think we have got the right fit for our team"
DART SIGN GRABOWSKI
DART KILLESTER coach Mark Keenan has completed the signing of Jim Grabowski. The American with Polish ancestry was a star with Southwest Baptist in the NCAA 2. He is 6-7 and an exciting player and Keenan is delighted to have him on board.
"We have been tracking him for a while and I am delighted that he has agreed to come to Ireland and DART KILLESTER in particular. He is a big boy who can play inside and out and he comes highly recommended and having spoken with him many times I believe that we have got the right guy"
Keenan is also close to getting his second player but he is keeping his name close to his chest until everything is sorted.
DART BEAT SCRANTON
In the absence of Mark Keenan who is with the Irish senior men’s international side Ed Randolph took charge of DART Killester for their first pre-season game and it ended in an 86-63 victory over the visiting Scranton University from Pennsylvania in Portmarnock last night.
After a number of pickup games at St Fintan’s during the summer it was good for the guy’s to get some competitive action and it was terrific to see Damien Sealy and Kieran O’Brien back in the ORANGE AND BLACK of DART Killester.
Damien Sealy’s return has been well documented on our website but the return of Kieran who will be back living in Dublin after a spell back with Neptune was a pleasant surprise.
Ed Randolph was delighted with the performance of his returnee’s.
“Damien hasn’t lost a bit of it, he was superb and the veteran spirit really showed as he hit 19 points and his overall game was terrific. It was also nice to have Kieran back, he was a league winner with us and if he has the time with study and work we would welcome him on board”
Aaron Westbrooks who goes back to finish college at Trinity College in Boston guested as did his Trinity colleague Robert Taylor who top scored with 21 points.
DART had five players in double figures, Taylor, Sealy, Paddy Kelly, O’Brien and Jermaine Turner.
Mark and Ed have tied up a deal to bring in their foreign players from the States but they are just waiting on clearance. The players are due in ahead of the Worthing Thunder Tournament in September.
PRESEASON EVENT
on Saturday 16th August in St David’s, Artane
9.30am – 10.30am: Development & U 11 (girls and boys)
10.30am – 11.40pm: U13 Girls Vs. U13 Boys
11.40am – 1.15pm: U20 Boys Vs. DART Killester NL Men
1.15pm – 3.00pm: DART Killester SL Ladies Vs. Bowdoin (USA)
3.00pm – 4.10pm: U15 Girls Vs. U16 Girls
4.10pm – 5.40pm: U16 Boys Vs. Templeogue
5.40pm – 7pm: U16(2) Boys Vs. U18(2) Girls
7pm – 9pm: DART Killester SL Ladies Vs. Indiana Wesleyan (USA)
Sunday 17th August in St David’s, Artane
10am: B&L Wildcats SL (Waterford) Vs. Bowdoin (USA)
12pm: DART Killester SL (Dublin) Vs. Meteors SL (Dublin)
2.30pm: B&L Wildcats SL (Waterford) Vs. Indiana Wesleyan (USA)
4.30pm: Killester U15 Girls Vs. Meteors U15 Girls
6.30pm: Indiana Wesleyan (USA) Vs. Meteors SL (Dublin)
ALL ARE WELCOME TO SUPPORT OR COME JOIN IN!!!!
**** PRESEASON GAME ****
DART KILLESTER MEN vs Scranton University
Date: Wednesday, 13th of August
Venue: Portmarnock Sports & Leisure
Time: 9pm
CONGRATULATIONS TO DART PLAYERS IN EUROPE
We are well into the month of August (even though it doesn’t look like it outside) and we begin the outlook of another full fall, winter club season. DART Killester's player contribution to the summer fest of European basketball should not go unnoticed.
The club was represented by players on four of the six underage men’s and women’s teams and on both senior teams.
Our development programme has been complimented by supplying a total of fifteen players to this summer's European campaigns. This is the largest representation of any club in the country.
Congratulations to all our players who made it to the GREEN of Ireland, to their coaches and to DART Killester the club.
Under 16 Women
Meme Troy
Under 18 Women
Hannah Thornton
Under 20 Women
Leah Westbrooks
Fiona Carrick
Aisling Sullivan
Shauna O'Connor
Senior Women
Aisling Sullivan
Senior Women Development Squad
Sarah McGrath
Under 20 Men
Keith Anderson
Michael Hennerbry
Alan Casey
Senior Men Development Squad
Paddy Kelly
Isaac Westbrooks
Aaron Westbrooks
Well done to one and all and keep up the good work.
Jerome Westbrooks, Promotions Department
DART LADIES AND MEN AWAY IN THE CUP
Mark Keenan's DART KILLESTER make the short journey across the city to begin the defence of their National Cup crown as they meet UCD Marian.
"It will be tough, UCD Marian made it to the semi finals last year and will be hard to beat. Having said that we are the champions and we badly want to retain our trophy" said Keenan.
The other Mark, Grennell takes his DART girls up the road to Tolka Rovers for a Dublin derby.
"Obviously we would have liked a home draw but we could have got a lot harder game and we are looking forward to it" said Grennell.
DART GIRLS SUFFER LATE LOSS
It was the opening of preseason for DART Killester’s Superleague Ladies and what a way to start. The oblates had the feel of a regular season game with Randall Fudge handling the Mic and a good crowd with the visitors bring with them a 97 strong crowd and DART Killester not faring much worse as the girls were well supported by family, friends and club members from the boys and girls u15/u16 teams and some of the Superleague men’s team came out to lend there support. None were disappointed as the crowd grew louder as the game unfolded. It was a basket for basket slugfest in which the DART girls went on to lose narrowly 51-55 to the USA College, DeSales University.
In the 1st quarter, what was a largely ‘mix and match’ team for DART the girls surprised everyone by going out and taking an early lead behind some nice play from Aisling Sullivan and Emer Brophy. The visitors stayed in the game behind the shooting of Amanda Kuperavage. The DART girls held a slim advantage of 14-13 going into the 2nd.
The 2nd was a tougher affair for the home side. The first game back after a long summer break, some of the legs looked a bit shaky in the 2nd. Although there were some nice contributions from the O’Neill sisters, Elaine and Aisling. Also a much more active display from Fiona Carrick helped this young side keep coming back and keep the game close. This quarter belonged to DeSales stand out player Kim Rarick, she got to the basket well and created for her teammates to finish strong at the half and give her team a 24-33 lead.
A much needed break for the DART girls was had at half time and they came out much stronger the 3rd quarter. Led by Sarah McGrath and Aisling Sullivan who handled the constant full court pressure very well, the girls mounted a good come back cutting the lead to 29-33 within the first 4 minutes of the quarter. Then entered Elaine O’Neill and young Jade Daly who spurred on the defense taking steals and running in fast break lay ups. Kim Rarick for the visitors led the way again this quarter for the Americans helping them hang on to a slender 3 point lead going into the 4th.
The 4th quarter proved to be a great display of basketball and desire as both team traded blows with the lead switching hands on 7 different occasions. Alex Troy really found her feet in this quarter combining well with both Fiona Carrick and Emer Brophy to dominate the inside throughout the 4th quarter. The game went back and forth with Aisling O’Neill hitting a big 3 late on to give the hosts a 2 point lead with 2 minutes to go but answering that 30seconds later was Kelly Magrann for DeSales with a “3” of her own to take back a 1 point advantage. Kim Rarick then gave the visiting side a 3 point cushion with 1.08 to go from the free throw line. DART’s Aisling Sullivan then drew a foul and went to the line cutting it to a 1point game. Both teams looked a little nervous coughing up possessions in the last minute. DeSales came out of their timeout with a nice set play and drew a foul going 1 for 2 from the line leaving them with a 2 point lead. DART Killester came down and missed a chance to tie but pressured hard and forced a turnover with 18 seconds to go at half court. The ball went in to Alex Troy off the inbound near the rim and Alex was unlucky on a great move to see the ball unluckily rimming out, but in true Troy fashion she tied up the rebounded and DART had the arrow. DART then in bounded on a set play that was designed to see them go for the win and were unlucky to see Emer Brophy’s effort narrowly miss.
DeSales ran out 4 point winners in what was a high quality exciting preseason game which was a fairly played game and both teams really gave everything which a loud and supportive crowd really appreciated.
KEENAN CLOSING IN ON NEW SIGNINGS
DART KILLESTER coach Mark Keenan has admitted that he is close to signing his imports for the coming season.
“Yes Ed and I have been in touch with two players and we are hopeful that they will come over and fit the bill for us. The past two seasons have been fantastic and we want to keep that going for the fans and our sponsors DART Suburban Rail and O’Neill’s”
“The guys have been playing pick up games during the summer at St Fintan’s but they had to stop last week as the school is getting a new wood floor as part of an overall face lift”
“We start our pre season officially on the 7th and play Scranton on the 13th. We won’t have our new guy’s in for that but we hope to have them in for the Worthing Tournament” said Keenan.
WESTBROOKS LOOKING FORWARD
Jerome Westbrooks is just finished his summer camps and is now looking forward to next year with St Fintan’s and Holy Faith Clontarf, and a return to studying at DCU but he is also excited about promoting the DART Killester Superleague games at the IWA in Clontarf.
“After the past few seasons we are really excited about the coming year and Patricia (McGrath) and I want to make sure that the Wheelchair is full to capacity for every home game. We intend to have our new imports working in schools and the community all along the DART line and that will insure that we get a lot of young kids at the games and that will create a great atmosphere and a sea of ORANGE”
“I can’t wait for the new season and I am sure that the trip to Worthing will also be great for the lads” said an enthusiastic Westbrooks.
Up for the Thunder Cup?
Worthing Thunder Basketball Club is pleased to announce its first ever international tournament, with news that the “Thunder Cup” will be played at the Worthing Leisure Centre on Saturday 13th September.
Joining the Thunder in the competition as they prepare for their first season in the British Basketball League will be current Irish Superleague Champions DART Killester, 11 time Irish Superleague winners Neptune from Cork, and EBL Division 1 side London Leopards.
The action will start at 2pm and continues throughout the day with two semi finals, a 3/4th play-off and the final due to tip off at 8pm.
Worthing Thunder head coach Gary Smith is looking forward to the opportunity to pit his BBL team against two of the best sides in Ireland and a London Leopards team that could be challenging for honours in Division 1 this year:
“This is an exciting prospect for the team ahead of the challenge of competing in the BBL for the first time. Whoever we play will be a tough match-up and just what we need to get us focussed on the task we have ahead of us in the coming months. It gives the players a chance to put the things we do in practice into the game situation and to show me that they are ready for the likes of Plymouth and Newcastle, who will be coming to the Thunderdome in the first two weeks of the regular season. This tournament should set us up nicely!”
**** BREAKING NEWS!!! JULY 31ST 10.55PM ****
DAMIEN SEALS RETURN BACK TO CLUB
Former Irish International and former DART Killester club captain Damien Sealy is coming out of retirement after a years break and will be part of Mark Keenan’s squad for the coming season of the Nivea for Men Superleague.
Keenan is delighted to have Damien back on board.
“It is great news, I thought he called it a day too early but I could understand his reasoning. He has a young family and is very busy in his job and it was a nice way to go out as a league winner but we are so delighted to have him back. He is an inspiration to the players and it helps us as we plan to strengthen our squad and go for more honours”.
“Jerome (Westbrooks) has retired but he will be still very much part of the set up as he and Patricia McGrath will be heading up our promotions team. Ed (Randolph) continues as my assistant coach and I am delighted that despite the recent Basketball Ireland ruling Ed and Michael Goj will still be part of our playing squad for the coming season”
Everyone in the club welcomes Damien back and it's a real boost to already a very strong squad!! Best of luck with the coming season.
DART PLAY SCRANTON
DART Killester begin pre-season in earnest on the 7th of August and a week later host the American college team Scranton University from Pennsylvania at the Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Centre on August 13th at 9PM. The game is being promoted by the local Portmarnock Raiders Basketball Club.
Mark Keenan will be using the game against the D3 school to have a look at a number of players ahead of the new season.
Arnaud Dahi and Michael Bonaparte will be missing as they move to Sheffield and Luxembourg respectively but Mark and Ed Randolph are well advanced in their plans to bring in new players for the campaign ahead.
DART HEAD TO LONDON IN SEPTEMBER
DART Killester’s men’s team has been invited to Worthing for a pre-season tournament on the 13th-14th of September.
Mark Keenan’s side will play the hosts Worthing Thunder, London Leopards and Cork side Neptune in the Tournament.
Keenan will be away with the Irish International side in Luxembourg on the 13th but he will fly to London on the 14th for a clash against the Leopards.
