DBS Éanna
A big fourth quarter performance from Éanna was ultimately what got
them over the line as the Dubliners were trailing Maree for the first
three quarters, though not much separated the teams throughout. A superb
37-point game from Maree’s Darin Johnson caused multiple problems for
the Éanna defence and despite good work from Stefan Zecevic and Marko
Tomic, Maree still held a three-point lead going into the last. A big
push from the hosts in the fourth though saw them finally get out in
front with some breathing space, and with Zecevic leading the scoring,
along with good work from Daniel Heaney, Éanna kept their winning run
intact on a final score line of 81-75.
Speaking afterwards, a relieved Darren McGovern stated: “They made it really difficult for us, we missed a lot of shots. We didn’t play well, we grinded that win out. Their American was brilliant today - he had 37 points, he hit everything and I thought we were doing a good job on him! He just couldn’t miss. We were down all game, we’d get ahead, they’d come back and go ahead - it kind of felt like we were climbing uphill all the time. We struggled. We couldn’t hit a shot until the fourth quarter, but we took off then - Stefan had a put-back dunk, Dan had a four-point play and that set the tone. We were lucky at the end, we had some big stops and big plays, but we pulled out the win and I’m very happy."
Griffith College Templeogue delivered Coughlan C&S Neptune their first loss of the season on Monday afternoon meanwhile, running out 91-79 point winners in the end. Just three separated the teams at the half, Templeogue leading 49-46, while some big three pointers from Spaniard Xabier Arriaga for Templeouge began to edge them ahead in the third quarter, 66-60. Big plays in the fourth, including nice work from Darren Townes and some big defensive stops from Jason Killeen, saw Templeogue hold out to win in the end.
Speaking afterwards head coach Mark Keenan stated: “I’m feeling great - that was a double weekend for us with the Cup game and I was worried a little about how much energy we would have after Saturday’s game, but I’m delighted. It was a good game of basketball, it was nip and tuck all the way. But we just had maybe experience and composure down the stretch to get that little gap in the last two minutes. The guys made a great effort over the weekend. It brings Neptune a game back, and it keeps us right up there in the mix."
Elsewhere, Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin managed to hold out under extreme pressure from Belfast Star down the stretch to secure an 81-79 point win on Sunday afternoon. Killorglin led the visitors from the off, opening up an early 24-13 first quarter lead, and pushing that out to a 43-32 point margin by the half. Good scoring from Allan Thomas and Pranus Skurdauskas kept them ahead as the third quarter ticked down, to see them lead 66-54 going into the last. Star were not going down without a fight though, and Ben Marello, Keelan Cairns and CJ Fulton all hit some big scores in the fourth as they began to chip away at the lead. Their hard work soon paid off as with just under 40 seconds to play, they had cut the margin back to two points. Despite their best efforts to secure a winning basket though, time ran out and Killorglin held on to win 81-79 in the end.
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors picked up a big road win in Dublin on
Sunday afternoon, running out 63-91 point winners over Pyrobel Killester
in Clontarf. Killester started the game stronger, opening up a 20-15
point lead at the end of the first, thanks to good work from Tomas
Fernandez and Ciaran Roe. Tralee bounced back in style in the second
quarter though, and with Jonathan Lawton leading the charge, drove into a
34-41 point lead at the half. Warriors stayed in control in the second
half, with Darragh O’Hanlon and Keith Jumper hitting some key scores to
see them comfortable 63-91 point winners in the end.
UCD Marian just edged their Dublin derby with DCU Saints, winning
out 75-73 in an extremely tight affair at UCD on Sunday. DCU Saints
held a narrow edge in the first half, holding a 21-26 point lead at the
end of the first, and a 43-44 point lead at the half off the back of a
big 31-point game from Mike Bonaparte, coupled with good scoring from
Graham Brannelly and Martins Provizors. A big third quarter from UCD
followed, with Mike Garrow, Aidan Dunne and Barry Drumm leading the
charge, but Saints came right back into it in the fourth quarter to tee
up a thrilling finale – Marian just holding on to win by two in the end.
Down in Galway meanwhile, Abbey Seals Dublin Lions came close to
their first win of the season on Monday afternoon, but eventually lost
out to hosts, Moycullen, 89-83. The Dubliners led the game for the first
three quarters off the back of good scoring from Conroy Baltimore and
Romonn Nelson, to see them lead 66-70 going into the last. A massive
fourth quarter from Moycullen though – that saw them bag 16 points in
the opening five minutes – sent them into a 12 point lead and they
didn’t look back from there, with Paul Kelly, Grant Olsson and Daniel
Vila leading the charge and despite big pressure from Lions down the
stretch, the home side held on to secure the win.
Basketball Ireland Results October 27-28th
Basketball Ireland Men's Super League
Keanes SuperValu Killorglin 81-79 Belfast Star
Pyrobel Killester 63-91 Garvey’s Tralee Warriors
UCD Marian 75-73 DCU Saints
DBS Éanna 81-75 Maree
Griffith College Templeogue 91-79 Coughlan CandS Neptune
Moycullen 89-83 Abbey Seals Dublin Lions
Basketball Ireland Men's Division One
Tradehouse Central Ballincollig 93-60 IT Carlow Basketball
EJ Sligo All-Stars 83-81 McGowans Tolka Rovers
Limerick Celtics 75-101 LYIT Donegal
Portlaoise Panthers 82-76 Limerick Sports Eagles
Hula Hoops Women’s Division One National Cup
Limerick Celtics 53-72 Portlaoise Panthers
