DCU Saints caused a big upset in the Men’s Super League on Saturday evening as they overcame league leaders, UCD Marian, at the death, 71-70.
A nail-biting finale to one of the games of the weekend, saw the clash ultimately decided on the free throw line, as everyone held their breath when Dee Proby edged DCU ahead, while UCD Marian missed the opportunity from the same spot at the other end (netting just one from two of their bonus shots) to tie the game on the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
“I’m delighted with the win!” said Saints head coach, Joey Boylan. “It was a tough game, and the last couple of minutes it came down to who was getting their shots and who would miss them and, unfortunately for them, they missed a free throw on the buzzer.”
Marian didn’t have long to wait though until they got back to winning ways as they took the spoils from their big clash with UCC Demons at the Mardyke in Cork on Sunday, winning out 95-78 in the end with a 31-point display from Mike Garrow.
“We would have loved to have won both games,” admitted Marian’s Ioannis Liapakis. “But the way things came about, one win is enough – it’s good, we’re happy. We needed that win: in five months we had only two losses and all of a sudden, in one week we had two losses in a row. We needed that win today to get back on track.”
Demons also had a double-header weekend of games, and won out 85-72 over Moycullen on Saturday evening in Galway.
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors meanwhile kept their spot at second place on the table secure this weekend, with an 84-72 point win over Pyrobel Killester in the Complex in Tralee. Trae Pemberton shot the lights out for the Kerry side as he netted an impressive 38 points and put in an absolutely stunning performance on both sides of the court and, despite a third quarter run from Killester, Tralee’s early lead in the first half, teamed with a fantastic finishing performance from Kieran Donaghy and Darren O’Sullivan saw them come out on top.
Elsewhere, Cup champions Black Amber Templeogue got the better of KUBS while Belfast Star ran out 71-62 point winners over Eanna.
In the Women’s Super League, meanwhile, the hugely anticipated clash between Courtyard Liffey Celtics and DCU Mercy certainly lived up to all expectations, with Liffey winning out 61-57 in a cracking game. A nail-biting end to the clash saw brilliant scoring from Devon Brookshire and international underage star Sorcha Tiernan see them home to victory.
“That was the third close game we’ve had between the two teams this season,” said Celtics’ coach, Mark Byrne afterwards. “DCU were coming off the back of a great cup win the previous weekend, so it was just a great game for us to come out on top.
"Sorcha [Tiernan] is probably one of the best, if not the best, young player in the country right now. She showed great composure today. DCU are known for putting a lot of pressure on people and they pressed us for the whole game, and she shot 15 points so it was an all round great performance from her.”
Elsewhere, Ambassador UCC Glanmire took a comfortable win over Portlaoise Panthers, NUIG Mystics fell to Maxol WIT Wildcats 59-71, while Pyrobel Killester secured the win on the road against IT Carlow Basketball.
Basketball Ireland Results: February 3rd and 4th
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
Griffith College Swords Thunder 89-65 Maree
Moycullen 72-85 UCC Demons
Belfast Star 71-62 Eanna BC
DCU Saints 71-70 UCD Marian
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 84-72 Pyrobel Killester
Black Amber Templeogue 96-76 KUBS BC
UCC Demons 78-95 UCD Marian
Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League:
NUIG Mystics 59-71 Maxol WIT Wildcats
Portlaoise Panthers 52-87 Ambassador UCC Glanmire
Courtyard Liffey Celtics 61-57 DCU Mercy
IT Carlow Basketball 51-73 Pyrobel Killester
Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One:
LYIT Donegal 58-81 Paris Texas Kilkenny
Dublin Lions 81-74 EJ Sligo All-Stars
Fr Mathews 80-69 IT Carlow Basketball
Portlaoise Panthers 60-101 Neptune
Ulster University Elks 85-85 Ballincollig
Basketball Ireland Women’s Division One:
Griffith College Swords Thunder 64-55 Ulster University Elks
Marble City Hawks 63-53 Ulster University Elks
Basketball Ireland Detailed Results: February 3rd and 4th
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
Griffith College Swords Thunder 89-65 Maree
Top scorers Griffith College Swords Thunder: Conroy Baltimore 21, Charlie Coombes 18, Kevin Lacey 14
Top scorers Maree: Corey Hammell 21, Kenneth Hansberry 17, Eoin Rockall 11
Half time score: Griffith College Swords Thunder 36-28 Maree
Moycullen 72-85 UCC Demons
Top scorers Moycullen: James Loughnane 17, Brandon McGuire 15, Dylan Cunningham 13
Top scorers UCC Demons: Lehmon Colbert 23, Kyle Hosford 21, Adrian O’Sullivan 17
Half time score: Moycullen 45-38 UCC Demons
Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League:
NUIG Mystics 59-71 Maxol WIT Wildcats
Top scorers NUIG Mystics: Dayna Finn 18, Deja Bullock 16, Deirdre O’Shea 15
Top scorers Maxol WIT Wildcats: Megan Donohue 13, Jasmine Walker 12, Abby Flynn 12, Helena Rohan 12
Half time score: NUIG Mystics 30-37 Maxol WIT Wildcats
Basketball Ireland Fixtures: February 10-11th 2018
Saturday 10th February 2018
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
Pyrobel Killester v UCD Marian, IWA-Clontarf, 18:00;
Eanna v Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, Colaiste Eanna, 19:00;
DCU Saints v Griffith College Swords Thunder, DCU Complex, 19:00;
Maree v Black Amber Templeogue, CC-Oranmore, 19:45;
KUBS BC v Moycullen, Greendale, 20:00;
Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League:
Portlaoise Panthers v Pyrobel Killester, St Marys, 18:00;
Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One:
Ballincollig v IT Carlow Basketball, Ballincollig CS, 16:00;
Dublin Lions v GameFootage.net Titans, Colaiste Bride, 18:30;
EJ Sligo All-Stars v Scotts Lakers St Pauls Killarney, Mercy College, 19:30; Neptune v Ulster University Elks, Neptune Stadium, 20:00;
Portlaoise Panthers v Keane’s Supervalu Killorglin, St Marys Sports Hall, 20:00
Basketball Ireland Women’s Division One:
Marble City Hawks v UL Huskies, O Loughlins GAA, 17:00;
Fr Mathews v Ulster University Elks, Colaiste Chriost Ri, 17:45;
Fabplus North West v Griffith College Swords Thunde, Ballyshannon, 19:30;
Sunday 11th February 2018
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
UCC Demons v Belfast Star, Mardyke Arena, 15:00;
Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League:
Ambassador UCC Glanmire v NUIG Mystics, Mardyke Arena, 13:00;
Singleton SuperValu Brunell v Courtyard Liffey Celtics, Parochial Hall, 14:45;
IT Carlow Basketball v DCU Mercy, Barrow Centre-IT Carlow, 15:30;
