The Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League got underway
with a bang on Saturday evening with one of the big results of the weekend
seeing newly-promoted Maree make history by winning their first ever Women’s
Super League game.
Joe Shields’ charges got their season off to the perfect
start by running out 70-67 point winners over Ambassador UCC Glanmire in a
hotly-contested battle. Glanmire had the better of the opening exchanges thanks
to sharp shooting from Aine McKenna, who finished the game with 25 points. A
quick regroup during the break though saw Maree hit their stride, with Claire
Rockall – who top scored for her side with 20 points – to the fore, as well as
American Carly McLendon and Fiona Scally, to lead 38-35 at the half. Momentum
stayed with the hosts in the third, to drive them into a 57-49 point lead going
into the last, but Glanmire pushed back hard, with good work from McKenna,
Annaliese Murphy and Shrita Parker to make for a thrilling finish. Maree held
on though and just had the edge by three points at the buzzer.
Speaking afterwards, head coach Joe Shields said: “We’re
delighted with the start, especially against such a very good team as Glanmire.
To get the win at home in our first ever Super League game was very special. We
feel there is more in us as well. This was a great start but it was just that –
a start. It’s done now and move on to the next game.”
Reigning champions Liffey Celtics meanwhile were dealt an
opening round loss at the hands of DCU Mercy in Leixlip, losing out 58-81. A
superb display from Mercy saw American Meredith Burkhall lead the way with 31
points, while Ashley Russell chipped in with 17 and young talent Rachel
Huijsdens, was a force on both ends of the court, getting some big defensive
stops and adding 11 points to her side’s tally.
“It’s a great start to the season, but even before the game,
we said that this game wouldn’t define our season," reflected head coach,
Mark Ingle. "For a season opener though, Liffey at home to DCU Mercy,
you’re going ‘oh here we go’. We’re delighted with the win, particularly as
it’s one of the hardest gyms in the country to win in. We got two good games
from our two Americans, I think they contributed about 55 points, but there’s
still a lot of work to do.”
Elsewhere, Marble City Hawks put up a tough challenge to Fr
Mathews in Kilkenny, but just couldn’t keep the pressure on for the full four
quarters, losing out at home 51-78 in the end. Pyrobel Killester and Singleton
SuperValu Brunell dished up a thriller in Clontarf meanwhile, with the hosts
holding on to win out 70-63 in the end thanks to good performances from Adella
Randle El, Ella McCloskey and Rebecca Nagle. The last game of the weekend saw
Maxol WIT Wildcats comfortable 36-88 point winners over IT Carlow Basketball,
with Maria Palarino impressing with 28 points in an all-round solid team
performance.
Over in the Men’s Super League, Moycullen took home their
first win of the season in style, running out 57-59 point winners over Pyrobel
Killester in a thriller on Saturday evening. Good scoring from Tomas Fernandez
in particular kept Killester's scoreboard ticking over to see them lead for
most of the game and they were up by 11 points at the end of the third, 48-37.
Moycullen were not going down without a fight though, and put in a massive
fourth quarter with Grant Olsson and Paddy Lyons knocking down some key scores
for the visitors as Killester struggled to find the target. Despite some big
scores from Killester's Paddy Sullivan down the stretch, the visitors held on
to win by two, 57-59 in the end.
“I’m delighted with the win,” said head coach, John Cunningham.
"We said we played well last week, but we just couldn’t score. We
struggled to score again this evening, but our defence was the difference. We
finally made some shots down the stretch and got over the line. Onwards and
upwards!”
Elsewhere, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors secured their first win
of the season with a key 93-86 point win over Belfast Star. A massive first
quarter from the hosts saw them into a 30-19 point lead, with Keith Jumper
dominating inside for Warriors to leave Star with an uphill battle. The hosts
kept the pressure up throughout with Rapolas Buivydas and Paul Dick also to the
fore. Despite good work from Star’s Delaney Blaylock, CJ Fulton and Keelan
Cairns, Warriors held on to win out by seven in the end.
Darren McGovern’s DBS Éanna meanwhile made it two wins from
two in the Super League as they ran out 74-61 point winners over Keane’s
SuperValu Killorglin. Strong performances once more from Stefan Zecevic, Daniel
Heaney and Joshua Wilson were the difference on the day, as despite another
good display from Killorglin’s Allen Thomas, Éanna just had too much on the
night.
Coughlan C&S Neptune also made it two wins from two,
running out 80-89 point winners over Maree in Galway. Spaniard Nil Sabata Vila
top scored for the Cork outfit with 25 points, with player/coach Lehmon Colbert
chipping in with 17. Abbey Seals Dublin Lions came agonisingly close to
securing their first Super League win of the year, as they lost out 89-80 on
the road to DCU Saints. A superb 32-point display from DCU’s Mike Bonaparte
proved crucial though as despite the best efforts of Lions’ Ramonn Nelson,
Muhamed Sabic and Conroy Baltimore, Saints held on to win by nine in the end.
Basketball Ireland
Results: September 27-29th
Basketball Ireland
Men’s Super League:
DCU Saints 87-81 Abbey Seals Dublin Lions
DBS Eanna 74-61 Keane’s Supervalu Killorglin
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 93-86 Belfast Star
Maree 80-89 Coughlan C&S Neptune
Pyrobel Killester 57-59 Moycullen
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Super League:
Marble City Hawks 51-78 Fr Mathews
Maree 70-67 Ambassador UCC Glanmire
Pyrobel Killester 70-63 Singleton SuperValu Brunell
Liffey Celtics 58-81 DCU Mercy
IT Carlow Basketball 36-88 Maxol WIT Wildcats
Basketball Ireland
Men’s Division One:
Ulster University Elks 91-77 Limerick Celtics
Tradehouse Central Ballincollig 85-71 Portlaoise Panthers
Limerick Sport Eagles 56-65 Waterford Vikings
Scotts Lakers St Paul’s Killarney 89-84 IT Carlow Basketball
Fr Mathews 66-45 EJ Sligo All-Stars
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Division One:
Limerick Celtics 62-96 NUIG Mystics
Ulster University Elks 97-53 UL Huskies
Griffith College Templeogue 74-43 Swords Thunder
Portlaoise Panthers 54-61 Team Tom McCarthys St Mary’s
Fabplus North West 67-70 UL Huskies
BASKETBALL IRELAND
RECAPS, RESULTS AND FIXTURES
Basketball Ireland Women’s Division One:
Griffith College Templeogue enjoyed their first win in their
debut season in the National League on Saturday evening as they defeated Swords
Thunder, 74-43, at home. Balanced scoring from Templeogue through Amie Tunnah,
Berta Carrera and solid displays from Lynn Tunnah and Niamh Lakes kept the
Swords Thunder defence on their toes and despite a strong showing from Aisling
Sullivan, Elizabeth Black and Tia Kelly Stephens for Thunder, the southsiders
just had too much in the end.
Newly-relegated NUIG Mystics announced their arrival in the
Women's Division One with a statement win on Friday evening, running out 62-96
point winners against Limerick Celtics on the road. Despite fantastic displays
from Kendall Bradbury for Celtics, Mystics were comfortably ahead 28-49 at the
half, and big performances from Rebecca Carmody (27 points) and Karlee Alves
(23 points) saw the Mystics get their first win on the board.
It was also a great start to the season for last year’s
Northern Conference winners Ulster University Elks as they kept UL Huskies at
arm’s length for most of the game in a dominant performance. Balanced scoring
for Elks saw Alex Mulligan, Abigail Rafferty and Lexi Posset all bagging 15
points apiece on the day to see them home to a convincing 97-53 point win.
Team Tom McCarthy's St Mary’s came from behind to take home
a six-point win over Portlaoise Panthers in a tough away game Saturday evening.
Lorraine Scanlon had a commanding display for the Kerry side, finishing the
game on 24 points. A close game throughout saw Portlaoise holding a 34-25 point
lead at the half, but St Mary’s rallied well in the second half, to take home a
54-61 point win.
The last game of the weekend saw Fabplus North West hosting
UL Huskies. Huskies came into the game off the back of a tough loss to Elks the
day before, but they certainly bounced back in style taking home a 67-70 point
win in an extremely close battle. Despite a good display from the hosts,
Fabplus just couldn’t stop the fire power of Summer King who finished the game
out with 31 points. A good display from Aisling Nee (21 points) for the hosts
kept the game in the melting pot right down to the closing seconds, but it was
Huskies who came out with the win by three in the end
Detailed Results
Basketball Ireland
Men's Super League
Maree 80-89 Coughlan CandS Neptune
Top scorers Maree: Darin Johnson 21, Steven Commins 16,
Kenneth Hansberry 15, Eoin Rockall 15
Top scorers Coughlan CandS Neptune: Nil Sabata Vila 25,
Lehmon Colbert 17, Peter Hoffman 9, Gary Walsh 9
Half time score: Maree 40-45 Coughlan CandS Neptune
Pyrobel Killester 57-59 Moycullen
Top scorers Pyrobel Killester: Tomas Fernandez 26, John
Behan 8, Paddy Sullivan 5, Isaac Westbrooks 5
Top scorers Moycullen: Grant Olsson 21, Patrick Lyons 14,
Conor Curran 9
Half time score: Pyrobel Killester 32-26 Moycullen
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Super League:
Maree 70-67 Ambassador UCC Glanmire
Top scorers Maree: Claire Rockall 20, Carly McLendon 16,
Fiona Scally 13
Top scorers Ambassador UCC Glanmire: Aine McKenna 25,
Annaliese Murphy 9, Shrita Parker 9
Half time score: Maree 38-35 Ambassador UCC Glanmire
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Division One:
Limerick Celtics 62-96 NUIG Mystics
Top scorers Limerick Celtics: Kendall Bradbury 29, Emily
Tinnes 12, Aoife Henn 8
Top scorers NUIG Mystics: Rebecca Carmody 27, Karlee Alves
23, Ailish O Reilly 19
Half time score: Limerick Celtics 28-49 NUIG Mystics
Fixtures
Friday 4th October
2019
Basketball Ireland
Men’s Division One:
Fr Mathews v Limerick Celtics, Fr Mathews Arena, 19:45;
Waterford Vikings v Portlaoise Panthers, WIT, 20:15;
Saturday 5th October
2019
Basketball Ireland
Men’s Super League:
DBS Eanna v Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, Colaiste Eanna, 19:00;
Coughlan CandS Neptune v UCD Marian, Neptune Stadium, 19:00;
Pyrobel Killester v Belfast Star, IWA-Clontarf, 19:00;
Keanes Supervalu Killorglin v Maree, Killorglin Sports
Centre, 19:15;
Moycullen v DCU Saints, Kingfisher NUIG, 19:30;
Griffith College Templeogue v Abbey Seals Dublin Lions, Nord
Anglia International School, 19:45;
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Super League:
Liffey Celtics v Pyrobel Killester, Leixlip Amenities
Centre, 19:00;
Maxol WIT Wildcats v Fr Mathews, Mercy Gym, 19:00;
Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One:
IT Carlow Basketball v Ulster University Elks, Barrow
Centre-IT Carlow, 12:30;
LYIT Donegal v Fr Mathews, LYIT, 16:00;
Tradehouse Central Ballincollig v Scotts Lakers St Pauls
Killarney, Ballincollig CS, 16:00;
McGowans Tolka Rovers v UL Sports Eagles, Tolka Rovers SC,
18:00;
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Division One:
NUIG Mystics v Team Tom McCarthys St Mary’s, NUI Galway,
16:30;
Griffith College Templeogue v Trinity Meteors, Nord Anglia
International School, 17:00;
Swords Thunder v Portlaoise Panthers, ALSAA-Dublin, 19:00;
Sunday 6th October
2019
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Super League:
Ambassador UCC Glanmire v IT Carlow Basketball, Mardyke
Arena UCC, 14:30;
Singleton SuperValu Brunell v Maree, Parochial Hall, 14:45;
DCU Mercy v Marble City Hawks, DCU, 15:30;
Basketball Ireland
Men’s Division One:
UL Sports Eagles v EJ Sligo All-Stars, UL Arena-Limerick,
15:00;
Portlaoise Panthers v McGowans Tolka Rovers, St Mary’s
Sports Hall, 15:00;
Scotts Lakers St Paul’s Killarney v Waterford Vikings,
Killarney SC, 15:00;
Basketball Ireland
Women’s Division One:
Tipperary Knights v Limerick Celtics, Pres Thurles, 15:30;
