This past weekend, the EJ Sligo All Stars had our first home game against a tough and talented Portlaoise Panthers team. It was arguably one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played in. The game itself was intense, the crowd was going crazy (especially the kids under the basket beating on their drums) and we won in overtime. As basketball players when the going gets tough, we often find extra energy from the crowd cheering us on. The town of Sligo came out in full force to support us during the game and ultimately helped give us that extra motivation to pull out the hard fought victory. The noise levels were deafening at times and truly created a sixth man atmosphere by how hard our crowd cheered for us.
Before arriving in Sligo I had heard that there was a tremendous basketball environment but I could not have imagined that the town was that supportive. It was great to see people from the IT, kids from camps and their families all out to enjoy a Saturday night full of good hoops! There were times throughout the game when I couldn’t help but smile and get goosebumps when I heard the crowd and kids chanting my name and encouraging us to keep giving our best. I’m sure that the town will continue to come out and create such an amazing playing atmosphere throughout the year and I look forward to doing all that I can to win and ensure that they enjoy their night out at the game!
