Teenage basketball talent is a rising star for Mayo Meteors

The Mayo Meteors are preparing for their next challenge in the Basketball Ireland Development League (BIDL). Last match out, an aspiring young talent showed his potential: Matthew O'Malley from Claremorris got plenty of game-time against Castlerea Cavaliers in a Regional League match and he did not disappoint.

O'Malley impressed with reliable shooting and simply being a part of the team, which has to work like a well oiled machine in basketball. There is more to player movement on the court than meets the untrained eye:

"It's just good to be on the team to be honest. I was playing for the Kiltimagh U-16 team last year, but they have no U-18 team, so I moved to Castlebar, was invited to a training session, and never left."

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Initially, for the 16 year-old turning up at the Mayo Meteors senior training wasn't easy. Experienced players with plenty of tricks up their sleeves, who, on top of that, were taller than Matthew, required some time to get used to:

"It was fairly difficult at first. You're walking in, the lads are 6'7", 6'8". And you think: What the hell is going on here? You're just staring over them, wondering, how am I going to score over this fella? But, once you get to know them and you're just playing with them all the time, you just get used to it."

What has certainly been a step up, is the process of memorizing plays and in certain sets, knowing where to be on the court and when to move and when to stay: "To help me, I do have a playbook drawn on paper. It's at home, safely stored away", Matthew assured with a chuckle.

He defines himself being more of a shooter type, with a 5'10'' height. He's learning how to get his shots off against taller opponents, learning the tricks from his older teammates at the Mayo Meteors.

"What you can do is shoot as quickly as possible. Or you could try a pump fake and see if the defender jumps and then you obviously just move out of the way then.

O'Malley watches a lot of basketball. NBA, Euro League or whatever is on really. He takes inspiration for moves from anywhere and likes to practice them in training or at home, where he has a hoop to shoot on. .

But it doesn't even have to be the big stage, where Matthew can get some inspiration from: "You could see something like I could be watching the under 16s game and see someone do a move that I haven't seen before. Yeah. And I go home and try it myself."

His goal: "I just want to be the best I can possibly be."

His next chance to prove himself: The Mayo Meteors play the Atlantic Eagles Sligo in the BIDL on Saturday, February 22. The game will be in Tourmakeady GAA gym, tip-off at 7pm.

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