Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:
Pyrobel Killester 61-66 Moycullen
SSE Airtricity Moycullen came away from the IWA with a victory over Pyrobel Killester on Saturday night in a game that saw Killester’s American Royce Williams leave the game with what looked like a serious injury. Moycullen, off the back of a home defeat to DCU Saints last week, got off to a flying start which put them on the front foot. Their American Brandon McGuire was influential, as he scored 23 points, and former Killester player Cian Nihill chipping in with 15.
Moycullen Head Coach John Cunningham, who had said prior to the game that he felt his side would give Killester a good battle said, “It was a very big win for us after last week. Their American (Royce Williams) going down helped a bit (hope he's ok but sounded like an Achilles), but we had held him scoreless to that point (late in 2nd quarter). We really struggled offensively in the first half but we did manage to put them in foul trouble which helped us as the game went on. Brandon McGuire and Cian Nihill came up big in the second half and, once we went ahead, we were reasonably in control. Roe did drive them on well but we closed it out reasonably solidly. Next week is a totally different challenge and we have a lot of thinking to do around their size. However. It's good to be going into it off a good win.” Moycullen will head to Kerry next weekend to face Garvey’s Tralee Warriors.
Maree 74-87 Garvey’s Tralee Warriors
Despite losing their third straight Super League game, Maree produced their best performance of the season against Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in Calasanctius College on Saturday night.The Warriors, much the bigger of the two sides, got off to a good start taking a 23-20 at the end of the first quarter, and extended that advantage to 11 points at the half. Fergal O’Sullivan with 10 points for Warriors while Maree point-guard chipped in with 13.It was a 6-point game after 3, and Maree had the gap down to just two points in the final quarter, but some wayward shooting and rushed passes gave the Warriors the opportunities to close out the game 87-74. Maree’s American Watkins Williams, while impressive in the end with 20 points, will look back at some missed chances.Maree Head Coach John Finn was happier with this weeks performance, but knows they still need to improve, “We played much better than the previous game. We played with better structure in offence but it was disappointing that every time we got close to them we let them off. We need to build on that performance and continue to improve next week.”Eoin Rockall who top-scored with 22 points said, “It was another tough game tonight but I felt like this was our best game of the season so far. We are adapting more and more to the pace and style of the game in Super League every week.”
“I felt like Tralee just executed a bit better down the stretch than we did but that's something we'll learn from and take away from the game.”
On new signing Watkins Williams, only playing his second game for the club and his home debut Rockall said, “Watkins is a really good scorer, he can do a lot of things really well so it's real easy to play with him. He's only been with us for a week so I think the more he plays with us, the better he'll get.”
Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League
IT Carlow Basketball 73-67 NUIG Mystics (after overtime, full time 60-60)
In a thrilling game, IT Carlow overcame NUIG mystics in their first ever super league contest. The winners came from 4 points down with 40 seconds on the clock to take the game to overtime where they eventually emerged victorious by 6 points.
