THE growth in basketball continues, particularly at schools level, with a total of 160 entered for this year's Bank of Ireland sponsored Cup competitions, an increase of 30 on last year's record breaking entry. The draw for this year's event was made at the National Arena in Tallaght yesterday.
Last year's boys' champions, North Mon from Cork open their challenge with a home draw against a squad who generally figure well at this level, Colaiste Eanna from Dublin. There will be an all northside Dublin derby between St Fintan's, Sutton and Malahide Community School with the first round scheduled to take place on November 22nd.
Four schools are through to the quarter finals - Marian, St Declan's Cabra, Colaiste an Spiorad Naoimh and Our Lady's Castleblayney. The quarter finals are scheduled for January 1997 with the finals on February 11th and 12th.
With considerably more teams involved in the girls A event a preliminary round will be necessary with 14 teams participating. Holders Presentation Listowel are given a bye to the first round on November 22nd where they will meet either St Ailbe's Tipperary or Mercy, the two teams who contested the final of the B cup last year with the Tiperrary squad emerging best.
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