Introductory training sessions for U14 Boys & Girls NEBB Knights squads will take place on Monday, 17th February, in Mullagh Sports Hall.
Times are 1.15pm to 3.10pm for the girls and 3.20pm to 5.20pm for the boys.

The U14 teams focus on developing player skills by providing regular regional training sessions as well as the opportunity to play challenge games with other regional development squads. Trials for team selection will take place at a later date - these teams will be participating in some home tournaments, including a proposed national inter regional tournament at the end of the season .
Players should bring their own ball, drink of water, snacks and €5 for hall hire. Players can register their interest in participating at the link here: https://forms.gle/rsXAjwLKbpM6sLhBA
COACHES/MANAGERS:
If there are any coaches/volunteers who wish to help out with the U14 Knights squads please contact the secretary, Clare O'Reilly, at KnightsSecretary@nebb.ie

​Preliminary trials for these teams will take place on Sunday 8th December 2019 in Mullagh Sports Hall.


The time schedule for the day is as follows:


9.30 am - 11.30 am: U16 Boys
11.45 am - 1.45 pm: U18 Boys
2 pm - 4 pm: U18 Girls
4.15 pm - 6.15 pm : U16 Girls

All players should bring a ball, gum shields, drink, snack and €5 for hall hire. The second round of trials will take place on w/e of 28th/29th December.

Registration will remain open until Sunday 8th December, but further registrations will not be accepted after the preliminary trials.
https://forms.gle/hsgz4VHeq6WxmbMs6  

(If the link doesn't take you automatically to the online registration form please copy and paste it into the URL bar)

As head coaches have now been appointed to all four teams the group will be travelling to Spain next summer for the Eurobasket Tournament in Lloret de Mar during the first week in July.

The NEBB Knights will hold introductory training sessions and preliminary trials for U16/18 players on Sunday, 8th December in Mullagh Sports Hall
The Knights teams are the regional teams of the North East Area Board and are composed of players from clubs throughout Cavan, Meath, Monaghan, Louth and Streete. The coaches/managers are all volunteers from the North East clubs. For the past number of years the U16 and U18 teams have been offering players and coaches the opportunity to experience basketball at an international European level, and to grow and develop their own skills in the process as well as enjoying the social aspect of getting to know others throughout the region. The teams are open to all eligible North East players.
Hopefully next summer the teams will be travelling again to the Eurobasket tournament in Lloret de Mar, Spain in the first week in July. Click here for a flavour of last year's trip:
http://www.nebb.ie/news/knights-week-in-spain-in-pictures

If there are any players who wish to attend this year’s trials they should complete and submit this registration form by Wednesday 27th November: 
https://forms.gle/hsgz4VHeq6WxmbMs6
Players attending training should bring a ball, drink, gum shields and €5 for hall hire. Boys training will take place in the morning  of Sunday 8th Dec with girls in the afternoon – exact times to be confirmed

Further training and team trials for the U16s/18s will take place at the end of December.
The U14 teams focus on developing player skills by providing regular regional training sessions as well as the opportunity to play challenge games with other regional development squads.
This year it is hoped there will be a national inter regional event – training and trials for the U14 squads will begin January 2020.
 
COACHES/MANAGERS:
The number of teams selected will depend on having enough coaches/managers prepared to take on the roles. If there are any coaches/volunteers who wish to help out with any of the Knights squads please register here (https://forms.gle/tJwFZSjiuwqPDZYq6). If you would like any further information,  contact the secretary, Clare O'Reilly, at KnightsSecretary@nebb.ie  
A meeting for those interested in being involved will take place on Wednesday, 27th November in Athboy(Time and venue TBC)

Last January the training schedules for this years North East Knights teams began.
Trials for the U16 and 18 teams took place in February and a few months those teams travelled to the Eurobasket 2019 international basketball tournament in Spain. This is just a short account of their week.

On Saturday morning, 29th of June, members of the North East Knights U16 and U18 squads and their coaches and managers began their journey to the 6-day Eurobasket 2019 basketball tournament in Lloret de Mar on the sunny Costa Brava in Spain . The group flew from Dublin to Manchester then onward to Barcelona.

Following a one and a half hour bus drive they arrived at their accommodation in the Hotel Astoria Park around 1am where it was straight to bed(almost) for a well needed needed night's sleep in preparation for the tournament start the following day.

Following a relaxing morning the afternoon saw three of the teams – U16 Boys and Girls and the U18 Girls take to the court for the first of their group games against teams from France, Italy and Spain.

Meanwhile a challenge game was arranged for the U18 boys to get them into the action. Following good wins for the U16 boys and girls it was time that evening for the Knights to show their national pride at the official opening ceremony. The flag was carried for the Irish group by the U18 boys captain, Wiliam Ochuba.

With wins on court for the U18 Girls and boys, today was the also the day that all teams got an opportunity to enjoy all the water activity on Lloret de Mar beach for a short while.

As games had been organised for the U16 and U18 Girls for Tuesday evening with teams in Barcelona the group availed of the opportunity to travel into the city a little earlier to see some of the sights. Following a visit to La Sagrada Familia the players then had some time to spend exploring Placa Catalunya and Las Ramblas, Barcelona's famous 1.2km long pedestrianised street.

It was on then to Club Esportiu Diagonal Mar basketball club for an evening of more highly entertaining games – while the local teams prevailed by just a basket in both matches there was some really high quality basketball on show from all the teams and our players and coaches were presented with key rings as mementoes of their visit.

Durning the afternoon break between morning and evening games the teams all enjoyed a little relaxation time back at the hotel where some players were acquainted with the great Spanish tradition of 'siesta time'. After lunch everyone joined in the birthday celebrations for Elijah and Lucia, with some lovely local cakes.

The tournament 'Coaches' game' took place on Wednesday night with Fu Faapito and Michael O'Reilly taking to the court on behalf of the Knights. A downtown score from Fu just before half time gave the supporters plenty to cheer about.

This was a very long and busy day for the Knights contingent with a total of 6 games throughout the day with the first at 9.30am and the last at 10.30pm. The final group games for the U16 Boys and Girls(with both teams having two games each) as well as the U18 Girls took place as well as the U18 boys semifinal, which was won convincingly by the North East Knights in the final game of the day.

This was finals day and saw all teams in action throughout the day, with silverware being won by everyone as follows:
U18 Girls: W01/02 Final: Winners
U16 Girls: W02/03 Final: Winners
U16 Boys: M03/04 3rd Place Play Off: Winners
U18 Boys: M01/02 Final: Winners

The tournament came to a close later that evening with the Awards & Closing Ceremony and it is fair to say that the Knights contingent enjoyed every last moment of the celebrations with lots of photographs taken with each other and their new friends.

The celebrations continued afterwards with a small treat for each team thanks to some generous sponsorship of this year's trip.

And then it was time to leave – an evening flight meant everyone could have a fairly relaxed morning before an early lunch prior to boarding our bus for the airport.

Unfortunatley the trip home was a litle less straightforward than the outward one with a number of delays. Having boarded the plane in Barcelona we all sat for an hour wating for takeoff as an issue with some baggage(not ours) was sorted. The pilot made up a lot of time however and we were actually only 35 minutes late arriving in Manchester. A quiet time in the airport meant our checkin there was quick and we were at our boarding gate in loads of time for our 10.05pm onward flight to Dublin – but the plane wasn't so we passed the time with chat and card games and our players smiled through it all!

Finally, just 30mins later than scheduled we arrived back safely in Dublin and reunited with their families.

​Of course the whole trip could not have happened without the help and assistance of a large group of people giving their time, effort and money to make it a success.
Sponsors: The NEBB Knights are indebted to the following sponsors for the financial support of the 2019 trip:
• O'Reilly Hoofcare
• Brady Management Global
• Douglas & Kaldi
• Premier Property Holdings
• Eason, Cavan & Mullingar
• Noel Larkin & Associates, Chartered Building Surveyors

Coaches and Managers 
A huge thanks to those who volunteered their time and expertise to make it possible. As well as coaching/managing the teams in preparation for and during the tournament members of the group looked after designing and sourcing the stylish teamwear and back packs, booked and sorted the flights itinerary for the whole group and looked after accommodation and other logistical details needed for a project like this – thank you Tony, Fu, Brian, Michael, Greta, Sinead, Jessica, Ursula and Clare.
Players and Parents
To everyone involved with the North East Knights since the trials back in January –
players committing to training and parents making sure they got there - all that work has led to what was an amazing week for the u16 and u18 players - It couldn't have been done without any one of you.
And finally – a huge thank you to everyone involved in organising and running the
tournament for their hard work, friendliness, enthusiasm and all round helpfulness –
Giusseppe, Veronica, Andrea, Anita, Erica and Leo Basket to name but a few!

Thank you.

Video compilation of the North East Knights U16 & U18 Girls and Boys trip to Lloret de Mar 2019, by coach Tony Ayres. 

This week the North East Knights U16 & U18 girls and boys teams compete in the Lloret de Mar basketball tournament in Spain! Below is their schedule for the week along with some photos from their teambuilding trip to the Carrickdale hotel. Photos and box scores will be posted throughout the week.

 

There is a great weekend's basketball in store for all at the sniot top 4 semi fanals and finals this weekend in Virginia and Mullagh. 
Saturday 9th March
Virginia College (Senior Men)
5.30pm: [1 V 4] Drogheda Bullets A V Navan Cougars
7.30pm: [2 V 3] East Cavan Eagles V Blackwater Steelers

Mullagh Sports Hall: Senior Ladies
5.30pm: [2 V 3] East Cavan Eagles  V Dunshaughlin Rockets
7.30pm: [1 V 4] Muckno Lakers V Drogheda Sparks

Sunday 10th March, Virginia College  
5pm         Senior Ladies' Final: Winner Semi Final 2 V  Winner Semi Final 1  
7pm         Senior Men's Final:   Winner Semi Final 1 V Semi Final 2

U16/18s:
Trials for the U16 & U18 NEBB Knights regional teams take place on Monday 18th February in Mullagh Hall. This year the teams will be travelling again to the Eurobasket tournament in Lloret de Mar, Spain in the first week in July.
Monday's times are 10am to 1pm for the boys and 2pm to 5pm for the girls. 
If there are any players who wish to attend the trials but haven’t already participated in the preliminary training day in January can you please complete and submit this registration form: 
https://goo.gl/u3A7Zc

U14s:
Trials for U14 Boys & Girls squads will take place on Thursday* 21st February, also in Mullagh Hall.
(*Please note change of date due to rescheduling of the North Academy dates)
Times are 9.30am to 11.45am for the girls and 12pm to 2.15pm for the boys. 
These teams will be participating in some home tournaments .
Again, any players who weren’t able to attend the training session in January can register their interest by completing and submitting the registration form: [Signups are no longer being accepted]

Players attending either sets of training/trials should bring their own ball, drink of water, snacks and €5 for hall hire.
COACHES/MANAGERS:
If there are any coaches/volunteers who wish to help out with any of the Knights squads please contact the secretary, Clare O'Reilly, at KnightsSecretary@nebb.ie