University of Galway Maree 89 Energywise Neptune 83
Eoin Rockall's season-high 23 points helped Galway return to winning ways while inflicting league-leading Neptune's first loss of the Superleague campaign with an 89-83 victory at the Kingfisher on Saturday evening.
Skipper Rockall drained a game-high six three-pointers, and his teammates needed that clutch shooting from range during a back-and-forth encounter which felt decided by a few third quarter plays. Maree led by as much as 18 in the fourth, but the visitors kept it respectable in the final few minutes.
During a match where both struggled to hit their free throws - a combined 27-of-52 from the foul line - the visitors still got big scoring production from Jordan Blount, Roy Downey and Jordan Evans.
Blount led the game with 29 points in 38 minutes but himself was just 44% from the stripe - had he been more efficient there, this could've been a different story.
It was always going to be interesting to see how Charlie Crowley's side responded to adversity here and Neptune narrowly edged the first quarter.
Rockall opened the scoring, before Evans raced away to score five straight points.
Joe-Junior Mvuezolo was, predictably, at the heart of things for the hosts while Adam Heaphy was a force on both ends of the floor for Neptune - scoring at one end, fouling on the other. Jarett Haines scored consecutive two-pointers and they were 17-14 ahead after Rockall hit their first triple.
Blount converted an and-one play at Rodrigo Gomez's expense, before both teams' free-throw struggles arrived.
John Burke missed both foul shots with a minute left, while Blount did the same after Burke fouled him with 11 seconds left on the clock.
Keonn Scott's three-pointer gave Neptune a slender advantage heading into the second quarter, but it was one they wouldn't maintain as Maree came out strong and had some help along the way.
Blount was called for an early technical foul, converted by Cathal Finn to level the scoring. Rockall drained another three, while Zvonimir Cutuk, Haines, Finn and Burke were among those helping the hosts pull ahead before the half-time interval with a steady diet of two-point baskets.
A four-point lead at the break was immediately added to by Gomez to start the second half, hitting only their third three-pointer of the evening.
Their long-distance shooting hurt them against UCC last week and again threatened to do so here - evidenced by consecutive Roy Downey triples on successive possessions, cutting the lead to one.
Gomez and Blount traded buckets, Haines made both his free throws after a Downey foul in transition, before another successful and-one play for Blount meant the score was tied at 48-apiece.
It would've been easy for Maree's momentum to waver at that point, especially given their inconsistent three-point makes.
Right on cue though, Rockall sunk his third and fourth triples of the evening - sandwiched between an Evans three-pointer - as Mvuezolo briefly took charge in attack.
The 26-year-old Londoner scored six straight points a few minutes before Cian Heaphy went scoreless in two trips to the foul line, that would've cut the Galway lead once more.
Rockall again punished the visitors to punctuate a third quarter where he led by example, meaning they had an eight-point advantage to protect heading into the final ten minutes.
Burke's triple made it eleven, then back to eight once more as his defensive breakdown contributed to Blount's third and-one play.
Difficult to stop, Galway had multiple assignments tasked with slowing him down. Constantly getting to the basket through traffic, rather than confidence to rely on shots from deep, wore on him.
The problem with needing to rely on consistent two-pointers, is others must contribute in other ways or you'll be double-teamed and easily targeted.
Downey only had four of his 20 points in the final quarter, both coming in the final four minutes. Evans (3 of his 17) wasn't much better either.
Stranger things have happened, but only a defensive disaster would've seen Maree relinquish a 12-point lead in that time.
Galway had their nervy moments but were diligent when it mattered and that's made even more impressive knowing the defensively tenacious Zach Light was sidelined after sustaining a broken nose in practice this week.
Club sources are confident he won't be out for long and would've played with a nose mask if one was supplied in time, but thankfully they didn't need him.
Up next, there's a week break from league action as they face Killorglin in the first round of the Cup next Saturday, hoping for a repeat of their 94-84 win on MD2 earlier this month.
Scorers for University of Galway Maree: Eoin Rockall 23, Joe-Junior Mvuezolo 19, John Burke 14, Jarett Haines 11, Rodrigo Gomez 9, Cathal Finn 7, Ben Burke 2, Zvonimir Cutuk 2, Paul Freeman 2.
Scorers for Energywise Neptune: Jordan Blount 29, Roy Downey 20, Jordan Evans 17, Cian Heaphy 7, Keonn Scott 5, Gary Walsh 3, Adam Heaphy 2.
University of Galway Maree:
Starting line-up: Eoin Rockall, Rodrigo Gomez, Jarett Haines, Joe-Junior Mvuezolo, Zvonimir Cutuk.
Bench: Cathal Finn, Ben Burke, John Burke, Malik Thiam, Paul Freeman, Matthew Sweeney, Stephen Commins.
Energywise Neptune:
Starting line-up: Roy Downey, Adam Heaphy, Cian Heaphy, Jordan Evans, Jordan Blount.
Bench: Gary Walsh, Caleb Leahy, Kevin Garcia, Roy Downey, Kelvin O'Donoghue, Nil Sabata, Keonn Scott, Xabier Arriaga.
