Maxol WIT Wildcats were the team that finally broke Ambassador UCC Glanmire’s winning streak at the top of the Women’s Super League on Saturday evening, as they overcame the league leaders in a thrilling game in Waterford.
Wildcats, who now have Jillian Hayes at the helm, were delighted with their dogged and determined performance that saw them pull back a win from the side who knocked them out of the Cup in a close game just before Christmas. Indeed, Glanmire will need to regroup this week as they prepare for the Hula Hoops National Cup final clash against Courtyard Liffey Celtics next Sunday but for now, this victory is all Wildcats’ as they keep their semi-final hopes alive.
“We’re delighted,” said new Head Coach Hayes. “The girls were really, really upset after the Cup game as they had been in the lead for most of it, but Glanmire got a few huge shots at the end to win, so everyone wanted this game, everyone was ready for it. We’ve been working towards this game for the last three weeks and it paid off in the end. It was anyone’s game in the last few minutes so it was great to see Wildcats hanging in there and being able to close it out. Grit and determination won the game.”
Elsewhere, Courtyard Liffey Celtics had the better of DCU Mercy in a close game in Leixlip, Portlaoise Panthers had to settle for second best against Pyrobel Killester, while NUIG Mystics were celebrating following a hard fought win over Meteors.
Meanwhile it was a busy weekend of action in the Men’s Super League, with Pyrobel Killester, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors and DCU Saints all winning their respective games in the Men’s Super Series at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght on Sunday. Pyrobel Killester looked in control throughout their tie with Belfast Star, holding a comfortable 51-30 point lead at half time and drove on to a 71-56 point victory.
Tralee and SSE Airtricity Moycullen went head-to-head in the second game and though Tralee were without the services of Kieran Donaghy, an incredible display from Trae Pemberton saw them home to victory as he netted a whopping 41 points on the day. DCU Saints took the spoils against Commercial.ie Éanna in the last game, turning over their loss the last time the two sides met to win 80-55.
Sunday saw Griffith Swords Thunder easing to victory over Radisson Blu UL Eagles, with the ever-impressive Isaac Westbrooks guiding the win throughout. That was Eagles’ second loss of the weekend having gone down to KUBS On Friday night. KUBS meanwhile just didn’t have enough to close out and win against UCC Demons in the second game. The last time these two sides met, Demons just pipped KUBS, so it was set to be another close game and it certainly lived up to its billing, with the sides drawing level numerous times throughout the game. Demons showed that extra bit more experience though to push out and win 72-66 in the end.
BASKETBALL IRELAND RESULTS
Basketball Ireland Men's Super League
KUBS 85-61 Radisson Blu UL Eagles
Pyrobel Killester 71-56 Belfast Star
SSE Airtricity Moycullen 75-90 Garvey's Tralee Warriors
DCU Saints 80-55 Commercial.ie Éanna
Radisson Blu UL Eagles 52-89 Griffith Swords Thunder
UCC Demons 72-66 KUBS
Basketball Ireland Women's Super League
Meteors 57-66 NUIG Mystics
Portlaoise Panthers 54-59 Pyrobel Killester
Maxol WIT Wildcats 65-61 Ambassador UCC Glanmire
Courtyard Liffey Celtics 75-69 DCU Mercy
Basketball Ireland Men's Division One
Dublin Lions 65-103 BFG Neptune
Maree 71-69 Team Kilkenny
LYIT Donegal 68-66 ITC Basketball
Titans 90-97 Keane's SuperValu Killorglin
EJ Sligo All-Stars 98-72 Fr Mathews
Ulster University Elks 94-86 Kestrels
Basketball Ireland Women's Division One
Ulster Rockets 57-48 Oblate Dynamos
Fr Mathews 56-62 UL Huskies
ITC Basketball 76-74 Marble City Hawks (after double overtime)
Detailed Results
Basketball Ireland Men's Super League
SSE Airtricity Moycullen 75-90 Garvey’s Tralee Warriors
Top scorers SSE Airtricity Moycullen : Phillip Lawrence-Ricks 27, James Loughnane 16, Paul Freeman 8
Top scorers Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Trae Pemberton 41, Dusan Bogdanovic 20, Goran Pantovic 12
Half time score: SSE Airtricity Moycullen 39-51 Garvey’s Tralee Warriors
Basketball Ireland Women's Super League
Meteors 57-66 NUIG Mystics
Top scorers Meteors: Eimear Mairtin 21, Kate O Flaherty 17, Ciara Flaherty 7
Top scorers NUIG Mystics: Ebony Wells 18, Brittany Glasco 16, Lauren Murray 9
Half time score: Meteors 22-36 NUIG Mystics
Basketball Ireland Men's Division One
Maree 71-69 Team Kilkenny
Top scorers Maree: Paulius Peldzius 18, Kenneth Hansberry 18, Eoin Rockall 13
Top scorers Team Kilkenny: Lukasz Szulc 19, James Butler 18, Matt Van Pelt 11
Half time score: Maree 35-29 Team Kilkenny
Titans 91-97 Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin
Top scorers Titans: Eugene Williams 33, Toms Fabriciuss 18, Emmanuel Saah 14
Top scorers Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin: Ian McLaughlin 18, Daragh Jones 17, Garny Garcia Nivar 16
Half time score: Titans 36-48 Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin
Basketball Ireland Fixtures: January 26th-29th
Please note – The SUBWAY Schools Cup Finals are also taking place this week:
SUBWAY Schools Cup Finals Schedule:
Monday, January 23rd, 2017
12.15pm – U19 B Girls
Gort Community School (Co. Galway) v Loreto Crumlin (Co. Dublin)
13.45 – U16 C Boys
Colaiste na Coiribe (Co. Galway) v Castleknock Community College(Co. Dublin)
15.15 – U16 B Girls
Colaiste Oiriall (Co. Monaghan) v Cross & Passion Kilcullen (Co. Kildare)
Tuesday, January 24th, 2017
10.30am – U19 C Boys
Larkin CC (Co. Dublin) v Blackrock College (Co. Dublin)
12.15pm – U16 C Girls
Castlerea Community School (Co. Roscommon) v Holy Child Killiney (Co. Dublin)
13.45 – U19 C Girls
St Joseph’s Community College Charlestown (Co. Mayo) v Coláiste Íde an Daingean (Co. Kerry)
15.30 – U19 B Boys
St Mary’s Diocesan School (Co. Louth) v Colaiste an Phiarsaigh Glanmire (Co. Cork)
Wednesday, January 25th, 2017
10.30am – U19 A Girls
Dunshaughlin (Co. Meath) v Holy Faith Clontarf (Co. Dublin)
12.15pm – U16 A Boys
St Joseph’s The Bish (Co. Galway) v St Malachy’s (Belfast)
13.45 – U16 A Girls
Cresecnt Comprehensive (Co. Limerick) v Scoil Chriost Ri Portlaoise (Co. Laois)
15.30 – U19 A Boys
Colaiste Choilm Ballincollig (Co. Cork) v St Aidan’s CBS (Co. Dublin)
Thursday 26th January 2017
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
KUBS BC v UCD Marian, Carroll Arena, 20:00;
Friday 27th January 2017
Hula Hoops Wheelchair Basketball National Cup Final:
Fr Mathews v NI Knights, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 18.00
Hula Hoops U18 Men’s National Cup Final:
BFG Neptune v KUBS BC, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 20.00
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
Commercial.ie Éanna v SSE Airtricity Moycullen, Colaiste Eanna, 21:00;
Saturday 28th January 2017
Hula Hoops U18 Women’s National Cup Final
DCU Mercy v Ambassador UCC Glanmire, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 10:00
Hula Hoops Men’s National Intermediate Cup Competition Final:
Blue Demons v UCD Marian, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 12:00;
Hula Hoops Women’s National Intermediate Cup Competition Final:
Limerick Celtic v Maree BC National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 14.00;
Hula Hoops Presidents Cup Final:
BFG Neptune v EJ Sligo All-Stars, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 17:30;
Hula Hoops Men’s National Cup - Pat Duffy Cup:
Pyrobel Killester v Griffith Swords Thunder, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 20:00;
Sunday 29th January 2017
Hula Hoops U20 Women’s National Cup Final:
Pyrobel Killester v DCU Mercy, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 10:30;
Hula Hoops U20 Men’s National Cup:
KUBS BC v BFG Neptune, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 12:30;
Hula Hoops Senior Women’s Cup Final:
Marble City Hawks v Ulster Rockets, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 14:30;
Hula Hoops Women’s National Cup Final:
Courtyard Liffey Celtics v Ambassador UCC Glanmire, National Basketball Arena-Tallaght, 17:15;
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
UCC Demons v Templeogue, Mardyke Arena-Cork, 15:00;
DCU Saints v Garvey’s Tralee Warrior, DCU Complex, 15:30;
