A massive weekend of games in the Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One got underway over the weekend, with a number of teams playing double headers.
Ballincollig continued to boss the roost down in Cork, with a dominant 20-point win over IT Carlow Basketball on Saturday followed by a 99-82 point win over LIT on Sunday. Andre Nation is the toast of the club, scoring 41 points in Saturday’s game and a further 45 points in Sunday’s game.
They weren’t the only team in the Southern Conference to remain unbeaten, with Limerick Celtics also going 4-0 after the weekend’s games following a dramatic one-point win over UL Sports Eagles in the big Limerick derby on Saturday evening. This was followed by a six-point win over Fr Mathews on Sunday. Scotts Lakers St Paul’s Killarney are also undefeated, with a 73-102 victory over WIT Vikings on Saturday, while on Sunday, they were almost pipped by UL Sports Eagles but kept their cool in the closing minute to win out by four points in the end.
IT Carlow Basketball meanwhile got their first win of the season on Sunday, bouncing back strong from their loss to Ballincollig to run out 60-72 point victors over their midlands neighbours in Portlaoise. A huge fourth quarter from Carlow saw them turn the game around to win by 12, while this was Portlaoise’s second loss of the weekend, losing out to Fr Mathews on Saturday.
In the Northern Conference meanwhile, Dublin sides DBS Éanna and Bad Bobs Tolka Rovers continue to dominate, with both sides maintaining their unbeaten run ensuring that next weekend’s showdown between the two teams in Éanna is set to be a cracker. Éanna had the better of Ej Sligo All Stars on the road, while Tolka won out 72-61 against visiting side, LYIT Donegal.
Indeed, it was wins all around for Dublin sides, with KUBS overcoming Ulster University Elks 59-76 on Saturday to claim their first win of the season, while Abbey Seals Dublin Lions got the better of Gamefootage.net Titans on Sunday afternoon in Galway.
Games continue next weekend, with the Basketball Ireland Men's Super League season also starting next Saturday.
Basketball Ireland Results – September 22nd and 23rd
IT Carlow Basketball 59-79 Tradehouse Central Ballincollig
Ulster University Elks 59 - 76 KUBS
Bad Bobs Tolka Rovers 72-61 LYIT Donegal
Ej Sligo All Stars 50-85 DBS Éanna
WIT Vikings 73-102 Scotts Lakers St Paul’s Killarney
Fr Mathews 91-80 Portlaoise Panthers
UL Sports Eagles 72-73 Limerick Celtics
Tradehouse Central Ballincollig 99-82 LIT
Limerick Celtics 77-71 Fr Mathews
Scotts Lakers St Paul’s Killarney 77-73 UL Sports Eagles
Portlaoise Panthers 60-72 IT Carlow Basketball
Gamefootage.net Titans 61-86 Abbey Seals Dublin Lions
