Mayo basketball star ready to rock Europe

It was a big game for a rising Mayo basketball star. She is the definition of an impact sub. Hazel Finn wasn't part of the Liffey Celtics starting five in her team's recent National Cup final, but when the 21-year-old Kiltimagh native came off the bench there was no stopping her.

Hazel scored 13 points and marshalled her troops from the point guard position to a glorious 65-53 Cup win against Killester. Finn claimed the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for her inspiring performance.

“I am absolutely delighted, the amount of work we put in for today, and we just clicked the past few weeks,” Finn said after the match.

The immediate reward for the outstanding display in a National final was a TG4 television interview for Hazel right after the game: “They 'grabbed' me. To be honest, I was so over the moon. Its great that the match was televised, and getting interviewed. But I can't even remember what I said,” Finn told The Mayo News after her first big final.

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It has not been easy for her, as Finn only joined the Kildare based Celtics last September. “I did struggle the first few weeks, but then you have to work that bit harder,” she admitted.

Going from a usual starter back to substitute is tough on every sports person. Hazel tried to focus and get used to her new teammates. For her position as a point guard, it's crucial to read your colleagues moves as a basketball team has to work as a well oiled machine.

“I feel great, I'm more happy for the girls, they were dying to get this cup, they have a great, tigh-knit community.”
But the season is far from over yet. After the Cup, there's still the League to play for, and then there’s obviously the little issue of having been called up to play for Ireland, again. In a few days, Hazel Finn will travel with the team to Lyon for an international against France on February 6. That will definitely be a stern challenge. It won't be Hazel's first international though. She already featured in last autumn's matches against Latvia and Israel.

“I’m just happy. The amount of girls that would die to bein my position. I have to take the opportunity. I was happy with my minutes, I got more than I thought I would. In all fairness, it was a young team. I’m honoured to wear that jersey.”
The upcoming matches will be another step forward in her career. She comes from a family with sporting pedigree. Her parents Bernie and John Finn both played football for Mayo.

“My parents never pushed me into a certain direction. They always told me to choose whatever I enjoy most. And that was basketball. I started playing with the Kiltimagh Giants.”

Her older sister Dayne is a successful footballer in Australia who just got her contract extended for further two years.
“I always looked up to my sister and now there are girls looking up to me. I'm only 21 now.”

Hazel joined NUIG during Leaving Cert year. That was a big commitment already, but the hours paid off. She won the U-20 National Cup and the women's division 1 with NUIG Mystics varsities.

Currently she is in her final college year, planning on doing a masters for secondary education in geography and sociology. But that isn't fully set in stone yet. What seems set in stone is an illustrious basketball career for the Kiltimagh native is just getting started.

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