The first WNLC Women’s Division One Cup took center stage on Saturday, March 9th, at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght.
Maree maintained their unbeaten run this season, winning out all of their games to be crowned Cup champions, while Swords Thunder scooped the Shield silverware.
WNLC Cup Results:
Pool A
Maree 66-57 Phoenix Rockets
Fabplus North West 57-45 Limerick Celtics
Maree 53-44 FabPlus North West
Phoenix Rockets 70-53 Limerick Celtics
Maree 56-30 Limerick Celtics
Phoenix Rockets 65-41 Fabplus North West
Pool B:
Portlaoise Panthers 59-45 Swords Thunder
UL Huskies 27-57 Ulster University Elks
Portlaoise Panthers 41-32 UL Huskies
Swords Thunder 37-61 Ulster University Elks
Portlaoise Panthers 64-56 Ulster University Elks
Swords Thunder 44-45 UL Huskies
WNLC Cup Semi-Final Results:
Maree 55-46 Ulster University Elks
Portlaoise Panthers 59-50 Phoenix Rockets
WNLC Cup Shield Semi-Final Results:
Limerick Celtics 59-35 UL Huskies
Fabplus North West 35-54 Swords Thunder
WNLC Cup Final:
Maree 55-36 Portlaoise Panthers
WNLC Cup Shield Final:
Limerick Celtics 49-56 Swords Thunder
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors put on a performance for the ages in the Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday evening as they ran out 88-77 point winners over Templeogue in a crucial, must-win top of the table clash in the Men’s Super League.
In one of the most highly-anticipated games of the weekend, huge performances from Kieran Donaghy, Fergal O’Sullivan and Kendal Williams were the talking points for the crowd on the night, as Tralee put in a stunning third quarter display to helped set them up for a thrilling finish in front of a capacity crowd. A late Templeogue run put the game back in the melting pot in the fourth quarter, but scores from Paul Dick, Keith Jumper and Eoin Quigley steadied the ship to see the hosts home to a memorable victory.
The win now leaves Tralee as the only team in the league with
just four losses, with fellow title chasers Templeogue and UCD Marian
now sitting on five losses each. Tralee have a tough job ahead of them
though as they still have four games left to play in the season in
comparison to Templeogue’s two clashes, with two of the Kerry side’s
games set to be a double header of home and away games against UCD
Marian on the last weekend of the season, March 23rd and 24th.
“I’m very proud of the team - we’re battered and bruised and we
got through some tough injuries tonight,” said Tralee boss, Pat Price
afterwards. “Templeogue are good and they brought their A game tonight.
When you get the best teams together like this it’s about runs – can you
stop the runs, can you answer them, and if we hadn’t stopped their run
they could have won. Everything starts on the defensive end and then
when Fergal O’Sullivan hit those threes - in front of this crowd - it’s
worth four points.”
UCD Marian meanwhile kept their title dreams alive in Dublin on
Saturday evening, running out 96-69 point winners over C and S Neptune.
Elijah Mays top scored for the hosts with a superb 20-point game, to
help see Marian into a 51-37 point lead at half time and they drove on
from there. DCU Saints and UCC Demons played out an overtime thriller in
Carrickmacross on Saturday evening, with DCU pipping the Cork side in
the end, 95-87. A 37 point game from Mike Bonaparte was the standout
display on the night, with Kevin O’Hanlon also chipping in with a big 23
point game. Good performances from Brandon Watts and Colin O’Reilly at
the other end – both finishing the game with 27 points apiece – kept the
game in the melting pot right up until the final overtime buzzer.
Elsewhere, Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin were pipped by just one
point in their road Super League clash with Belfast Star, the hosts
winning out 85-84 on the night. Shaquille Dance and Daniel Jokubaitis
were the standouts for the visitors, bagging 30 and 28 points
respectively on the night, but a 39-point display from Star’s Mike Davis
helped them home to glory. Pyrobel Killester face Maree in the final
game of the weekend this evening, with tip off at 7pm in the IWA in
Clontarf.
Over in the Women’s Super League and Courtyard Liffey Celtics
were officially crowned champions on Saturday evening as their last home
game of the season saw them run out 85-58 point winners over IT Carlow
Basketball. Big performances from Allie LeClaire, Aine O’Connor, Megan
Howe and Karen Mealey saw the hosts into a 46-29 point lead at the half
time break and they drove home to victory in front of a large home
crowd.
Elsewhere, Fr Mathews won out their crucial battle with Maxol WIT
Wildcats on the road on Saturday evening thanks to a big second half
push. With the sides all level at half time on 32 points apiece, Shannon
Brady and Grainne Dwyer led the charge in the closing quarters to win
out 52-68 in the end. Pyrobel Killester and Marble City Hawks played out
a thriller in Clontarf on Saturday evening, with Miah Spencer bagging a
late, late winner to see the hosts win out 78-76 after a cracking
contest. Just two points separated the teams at half time, with Hawks’
Kelly O’Hallahan, Katie Fox and Aine Sheehy putting in some big
performances to keep them right in the mix. A 21-point game from Rebecca
Nagle, coupled with 20 and 17 points respectively from Aisling McCann
and Miah Spencer saw them match the visitors score for score though, and
it was Spencer who held her cool to bag the big game winner.
DCU Mercy had the better of Ambassador UCC Glanmire on Sunday in
Cork, winning out 74-81. The sides were neck and neck in the first half,
going into the break tied at 41 apiece, but a huge third quarter from
the Dubliners set them on the road to victory.
“We turned the ball over a lot in the first half but we looked
very comfortable in the third,” DCU’s Mark Ingle said after his team’s
win. “I thought [Adella Randell] was excellent for Glanmire and gave
them a lot on offence but I’m happy with my team and look forward to
having a go off Mathews next week.”
Singleton SuperValu Brunell made easy work of NUIG Mystics on
Sunday afternoon, winning out on a final score of 77-50. Linda Rubene
was excellent for the home side, finishing with 14 while point guard
Danielle O’Leary had 13 in a solid performance by Tim O’Halloran’s
outfit.
Over in the Men’s Division One meanwhile, DBS Éanna’s stunning 21
game unbeaten run was brought to a halt on Saturday night by Southern
Conference winners, Tradehouse Central Ballincollig, who won out 79-80
in Dublin on the night. Turning a 10-point deficit around in the fourth
quarter, the Cork team were led by a 43-point display from Andre Nation,
while Ian McLoughlin and Daniel O’Sullivan were instrumental in the
closing minutes. Nation was on hand then to block Joshua Wilson as he
headed for the game winner at the death, and Ballincollig held on to
their slender lead to win out in the end.
“We’re not Cup champions and top of the Southern Conference for
nothing,” said coach Kieran O’Sullivan afterwards. “I’m very proud of
how the guys played.”
Basketball Ireland Results: March 8-10th
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
Belfast Star 85-84 Keanes Supervalu Killorglin
UCD Marian 96-69 CandS Neptune
DCU Saints 95-87 UCC Demons (after overtime)
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 88-77 Templeogue
Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League:
Pyrobel Killester 78-76 Marble City Hawks
Courtyard Liffey Celtics 85-58 IT Carlow Basketball
Maxol WIT Wildcats 52-68 Fr Mathews
Ambassador UCC Glanmire 74-81 DCU Mercy
Singleton SuperValu Brunell 77-50 NUIG Mystics
Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One:
LIT 64-95 Bad Bobs Tolka Rovers
Ulster University Elks 78-90 Fr Mathews
LYIT Donegal 101-100 LIT
Bad Bobs Tolka Rovers 79-73 IT Carlow Basketball
Abbey Seals Dublin Lions 91-52 UL Sports Eagles
DBS Eanna 79-80 Tradehouse Central Ballincollig
KUBS BC 58-75 Scotts Lakers St Paul's Killarney
Ej Sligo All-Stars 84-56 WIT Vikings
GameFootage.net Titans 85-77 Portlaoise Panthers
