U16 Women tested by Celtics

   After the first U16 National Squad trials that took place in October, the top 20 players were invited to play against Dublin-based side Liffey Celtics in early November.  The match tipped off on Friday night at the Peak and preceded a weekend of basketball as part of an U16 Girls development tournament. 

   Representing the top-20 U16 Women were Cara Black, Mirren Summers, Beth McDonald, Keri Jackson, Shannon Purves, Sam Butler, Lauren Forde, Christie Lamb, Christie Guthrie and Fiona Murray. Despite never having played together as a unit the girls proved to be a really strong team who produced some easy scoring opportunities with an effective quick style of play and ended the first half with a score-line of 33-21. 

   With a constant 2v1 against the ball and with an exceptional scoring job from the tournament’s overall MVP (Rebecca Keating) Liffey Celtics came back at Scotland, with the Scottish side finding themselves just 4 points up with five minutes to go.  But our young players found a fifth gear, with Sam Butler grabbing every defensive board and Summers & Black forcing several Irish turnovers and exploiting many fast break opportunities the Scotland side came away with a comfortable win 64-49.  

   Due to club commitments, only 10 of our top-20 players were on the roster for the game, some of them stepping up to the plate aged just 13 and 14. Congratulations to Beth McDonald (Highland Bears), Christie Guthrie (Tayside Musketeers) and Sam Butler (Glasgow Rocks) on their first Scotland cap.