Ireland’s domestic basketball season reaches its climax this weekend, with four national finals across multiple competitions, all shown live free-to-air on TG4.
At the centre of the action is the Domino’s Men’s Super League final, where Ballincollig will face Killester on Sunday afternoon at the National Basketball Arena, in a meeting of the top teams from the regular season.
Ballincollig head into the decider chasing a league and cup double, having already secured the National Cup earlier this year. MVP in that victory, Latrell Jossell, believes his side’s resilience has been forged through adversity.
“Starting 0-2 meant in almost every game this season we’ve been put in a tough situation, but that has made us resilient,” he said at this week’s media day. “We’re peaking at the perfect moment.”
Jossell, alongside Latavious Mitchell and Josh Steel, has been central to Ballincollig’s rise to the top of the standings and their subsequent playoff wins over Limerick Celtics and Griffith College Éanna. The Cork club are now seeking a second league title in four seasons.
Standing in their way are Killester, who are targeting a first league title since the 2013/14 season. Having fallen short in last year’s final, they have navigated a challenging playoff run, overcoming St Vincent’s and Belfast Star.
Farouq Raheem believes the final is a fitting conclusion to the season.
“I think it’s the perfect final. It’s one versus two from the regular season,” he said. “Both teams will hopefully be playing with a full deck for the trilogy and it’ll be a really exciting game.”
The Domino’s Women’s Super League final will see UCC Glanmire take on Trinity Meteors, with both sides carrying compelling narratives into Sunday’s earlier tip-off.
Glanmire are targeting a third title in five seasons, driven by the scoring power of Viane Cumber and Jewel Watkins, who have been instrumental in their late-season surge.
Watkins highlighted the scale of the occasion, saying she is relishing her first championship game since high school and expects a tightly contested encounter.
Trinity Meteors, meanwhile, are bidding to end a 30-year wait for a league title, having last lifted the trophy in 1995/96. Their route to the final has included narrow wins over SETU Waterford Wildcats and defending champions Killester.
Catherine Connaire believes those experiences will prove valuable. “Sunday means so much to the club,” she said. “It’s been thirty years since we’ve been in this position.”
Saturday’s schedule adds further intrigue with promotion on the line in both Division One finals.
In the Men’s Division One decider, Limerick Sport Eagles face Titans, with the winners earning a place in the top tier. Titans’ head coach Erin Bracken has already made history this season as the first female coach to win the league’s Coach of the Month award.
Limerick Sport Eagles, meanwhile, are also chasing a league and cup double, having already claimed the National Cup title.
In the Women’s Division One final, Cleveland Rockets and Limerick Celtics will compete for promotion to the Super League for the first time, underlining the growing depth and competitiveness of the women’s game.
With all finals taking place at the National Basketball Arena and broadcast live, the weekend represents a major visibility opportunity for Basketball Ireland and its commercial partners.
The combination of elite competition, compelling storylines and national broadcast coverage reflects the continued growth of the domestic game and its increasing ability to attract audiences across traditional and digital platforms.
Image Credit: Basketball Ireland, Inpho.ie
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