And thus our Season 71 closes with a high not unlike catching the final moments of a beautiful tok in the last hours of a long day spent trenching through ferns, briars, and nettles. The sensation of beating 48th‑ranked South Africa while finishing a pleasantly sublime 69th lingers in the mind, carrying our thoughts into whatever comes next for us and our basketball nation.
We finished the competitive season with a 3–5 record, hovering between 66th and 76th. Is this a fair summary of how we’re doing? Yes — we are improving, slowly but surely, though the nature of the Irish U21 squad changes dramatically every season. This year’s group was probably the strongest we’ve had in some time, yet we still carried some sizable gaps. No doubt many of these players will grow into fine talents in the years ahead; however, we never quite achieved the full connection we needed.
We still live in the shadow of past Irish player corruption, which meant our best prospects weren’t trained properly and were instead treated like crypto in a financial game. Those clouds are lifting now. New talent is breaking through, and manager engagement is solid.
I will always continue to stand here and try, until someone willing steps forward to take the mantle. I am the watcher on the wall — the barrier between calamity and reason.
Goodbye to the good boys:
Amadeusz Pruski [playerid= 54474336]
Dominik Ficoń [playerid= 54786188]
Maurice Barrett [playerid= 54849372]
Matthew "Mo" Moloney [playerid= 54786192]
Krzysztof Jakób [playerid= 54786203]
Eric Langan
(54786365)Jimmy Moulson
(54786220)