Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU inflicted a second successive loss on Men’s Super League pace setters, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, winning out 83-80 in MTU Arena on Saturday evening, while Killester capitalised on that result to move joint top of the table following their 97-87 success against UCC Demons in Clontarf. In the Women’s Super League, Killester’s 69-66 defeat away to Catalyst Fr. Mathews cost the defending champions more ground in the race for this season’s crown.
A Quashawn Lane deuce and two free throws from Adrian O’Sullivan in the closing 25 seconds completed a thrilling 83-80 victory for Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU over Men’s Super League joint leaders, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in MTU Arena on Saturday evening.
Marquavian Stephens put up 36 points for the Kerry side who were looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season against EJ Sligo All-Stars, but even that impressive contribution was not enough to deny their Cork hosts who finished with four players in double digits, including O’Sullivan and Todd Wolfe on 19 points apiece.
“We played an excellent game defensively against the regular season leaders and best offensive team in Super League” remarked Antonio López, Ballincollig head coach.
“I’m proud to see our lads working hard as a unit. It’s a big boost as we continue forward into our National Cup quarter-final against Sligo” he added.
That setback for Tralee offered Killester the opportunity to draw level with them at the top of the table and they duly capitalised, beating UCC Demons 97-87 in Clontarf only a day after their Cork opponents had seen off Flexachem KCYMS 101-94.
Despite a 100 percent record for Patrick Robinson from the free-throw line and floor that yielded a 32-point haul, Demons finished second best to a Killester side, for whom Kason Harrell was also flawless in the shooting department, draining four threes on his way to a game-high 35 points, while Isiah Dasher and Paul Dick combined for a further 40.
“We played some excellent basketball in the first 15 minutes, but trailed away a little at half time and that gave Demons enough encouragement to come roaring back” said Jonny Grennell, Killester head coach.
“Credit to Kason and Paul down the stretch, they came up with some really tough baskets to keep our noses in front."
Belfast Star began life under new head coach, Sean Ingle with a thrilling 88-85 win over Maree in Newforge Sports Complex.
A late three from the game’s top scorer, Joshua McGettigan (31 points) reduced the gap to a solitary point with 16 seconds remaining, but Belfast held out, as Darweshi Hunter drained two free throws for the hosts, taking his tally to 28 on a night that also saw Bernat Vanaclocha take 14 defensive boards en route to a total of 17 rebounds for the Galway side.
It was not the return from the international break that defending champions, Griffith College Éanna were hoping for as they suffered a fourth-quarter collapse, resulting in an 85-62 loss to UCD Marian at home in Coláiste Éanna.
Just a solitary point separated the two sides by the close of the third quarter, but Éanna were kept scoreless for almost the next six minutes while UCD put together a 17-point run, Ronan Byrne and Colm O’Reilly combining for 16 points in that period to help their side to only their third win of the season so far.
Templeogue picked up only their second win of the campaign as they surmounted the challenge of EJ Sligo All-Stars 71-66 when the two sides locked horns in the National Basketball Arena.
Immanuel Allen and Tavias Fagan inflicted the bulk of the damage on the visitors as they combined for 59 points, the latter totalling 19 rebounds in partnership with Callum McGrail.
Energywise Ireland Neptune did enough down the stretch to weather a severe test by Bright St. Vincent’s and record a 90-84 victory in Neptune Stadium.
The hosts finished up with five players in double figures, among them Chancellor Calhoun-Hunter who chalked up 26 points and 11 rebounds that went a long way to addressing the game-high 35 points that JaRon Thames amassed for the Dublin side.
Defending Women’s Super League champions, Killester lost more ground in the race for the 2024/25 crown after they were pipped 69-66 on the road against Catalyst Fr. Mathews on Saturday evening.
Deadlocked at 64 points apiece heading towards the closing minute of play, this game saw the Cork side maintain their poise down the stretch to clinch the win after Niamh Dwyer and Kyra White drained crucial buckets late on.
While the result marked a second straight loss for Killester, it ended a run of three defeats for Keith Daly’s side, leaving them on a sound footing ahead of their trip to Leixlip for a date with FloMAX Liffey Celtics in the Paudie O’Connor National Cup quarter finals next Saturday.
“We played some decent basketball in spurts against a really good side in Killester and the girls’ effort on defence got us over line in the end” said Fr. Mathews boss, Keith Daly.
“We're happy to get back to winning ways, but we know we've work to do to be more consistent on both ends of the floor” he added.
Deaja Richardson delivered a huge performance that saw her amass 37 points and 15 rebounds, but even that was not enough to see Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell unhinge SETU Waterford Wildcats in Mercy College on Saturday evening, the current joint leaders emerging 94-85 winners.
Ashia McCalla notched up 29 points for the homeside, while Sarah Hickey weighed in with a further 24 and Chelsea Cain bagged 13 rebounds, as Waterford built on a strong first-quarter display that saw them open up an 11-point gap.
FloMAX Liffey Celtics remain neck and neck with their Waterford rivals at the Super League summit after they stormed to an 83-50 success at home against a University of Galway Mystics team still awaiting their first win of the campaign.
Kate O’Flaherty emerged the game’s top scorer on 15 points for the hosts, while Ireland senior internationals, Áine O’Connor and Sorcha Tiernan were both just one shy of that total as Celtics rejoined Wildcats at the top on a record of 6 and 1.
Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers brought to an end, a three-game winning streak for The Address UCC Glanmire after they beat their Cork rivals 80-70 in St. Mary’s Hall on Friday.
A 27-point haul by Jessica Fressle, who also combined with Amy Dooley for 23 rebounds and 10 assists, went a long way to seeing the hosts make it back-to-back wins in the top tier.
Glanmire were certainly not helped by the temporary loss of taliswoman, DelJanae Williams to injury in the closing minute of the third quarter, as Panthers pushed their lead out from two points to eight by the time she returned to the floor with five minutes to go.
Delighted at seeing his side move to 4 and 3 in the table, Portlaoise head coach, Keith Conroy said “There’s a bit of momentum building around the team and around the club. The girls work so hard during the week and it’s great to see them getting rewards for it.
“We’ve four wins now at the end of November and they had three wins all of last year, so this team is going from strength to strength” he insisted.
After shipping two defeats at the hands of Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell and SETU Waterford Wildcats, Trinity Meteors made a return to winning ways as they ran out 75-62 victors at home to Utility Trust St. Paul’s.
Morgan Lenahan spearheaded their offence with a game-high 27 points, while Grace Prenter and Emma Merriweather chipped in with a further 26, the latter also picking up 12 rebounds.
Results
Men’s Super League
Friday November 29th
UCC Demons 101-94 Flexachem KCYMS
Saturday November 30th
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU 83-80 Garvey’s Tralee Warriors
Belfast Star 88-85 Maree
Griffith College Éanna 62-85 UCD Marian
Killester 97-87 UCC Demons
Templeogue 71-66 EJ Sligo All-Stars
Energywise Ireland Neptune 90-84 Bright St. Vincent’s
Women’s Super League
Friday November 29th
Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers 80-70 The Address UCC Glanmire
Saturday November 30th
SETU Waterford Wildcats 94-85 Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell
Catalyst Fr. Mathews 69-66 Killester
Trinity Meteors 75-62 Utility Trust St. Paul’s
FloMAX Liffey Celtics 83-50 University of Galway Mystics
Fixtures
Pat Duffy National Cup (Quarter-Finals)
Saturday December 7th
UCC Demons vs Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, Neptune Stadium, 1600
Griffith College Éanna vs Flexachem KCYMS, Coláiste Éanna, 1900
Energywise Ireland Neptune vs Killester, Neptune Stadium, 1900
EJ Sligo All-Stars vs Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU, Mercy College 1930
Paudie O’Connor National Cup (Quarter-Finals)
Saturday December 7th
SETU Waterford Wildcats vs University of Galway Mystics, Mercy Waterford, 1700
Trinity Meteors vs Utility Trust St. Paul’s, Coláiste Íosagáin, 1730
FloMAX Liffey Celtics vs Catalyst Fr. Mathews, Leixlip Amenities, 1900
Killester vs The Address UCC Glanmire, IWA Clontarf, 1900
