It was a Super Saturday and Sunday to remember for Garvey's Tralee Warriors with all four of their teams winning their respective playoffs, beginning with the Mens U20s who comfortably accounted for Phoenix BC by 106-51 to set up a showdown semi-final away to Éanna next weekend.
The Warriors simply overpowered their northern opponents and after a competitive opening quarter the Tralee side took total control of the contest with a 32-6 second quarter to build a 51-20 lead. They extended that to 73-48 by three quarter time and a 33-13 final quarter sealed the 106-51.
Olaf Michalczuk top scored for the defending champions with 23, Ryan Sheehy accounted for 16, Josh Osayanrhion and Evan Boyle for 14 each and Jamie Burke for 12. The Warriors now face a tough trip to Colaiste Éanna to take on Éanna next weekend for a place in the decider and a chance to make it three titles in a row.
Titans of Galway are already through to the other semi final and await the winners of Dundalk Ravens and Limerick Celtics in what is a repeat of the U20 National Cup final that the Dundalk side won.
Meanwhile the Basketball Ireland Development League Womens side are heading to Tallaght after securing their place in the BIDL Plate Final after a 45-38 win away to Cluntech Kilkenny Stars yesterday.
The Warriors trailed their hosts by a 14-13 at the end of the first but edged ahead 23-22 at half time. The Tralee side went 35-31 ahead at the end of the third before seeing out the win by 45-38 in the end.
Holly O'Brien struck for 18 points with Sorcha Casey hitting 9 and Lucy O'Donnell and Niamh Collins both chipping in with 6.
The Warriors Women now await to see who they will play in the final with Glanmire and Portlaoise Panthers set to meet next Sunday in Cork.
The BIDL Mens side completed a picture perfect weekend for the Tralee club with a 74-64 win over Phoenix Wolves.
The Warriors started brightly to lead 22-16 at the end of the first quarter but the Wolves stayed well in touch after a closely fought second quarter to trail by just 42-37. The Belfast side then proceeded to cut the gap and level the contest at 56-56 at three quarter time. However the Warriors asserted late on to seal the 74-64 2 in the end.
Aaron Fleming hit 20 points including a major score in the final minute to secure the win, Josh Osayanrhion backed up after playing Super League the previous day to fire in 17 and Padraig Fleming carded 8 points in what was a determined display by the defending champions to book their ticket to Tallaght in three weeks time.
They will now defend their title against either Trinity College or Limerick Celtics in the final to be played over the weekend of the 11th-13th April.
Garvey's Tralee Warriors are through to the semi-final of the Dominos Mens Super League after safely negotiating their way past UCD Marian at the Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh Sports Hall at the Kerry Sports Academy on Saturday evening. With six players scoring in double digits, the sheer weight of the offensive threat from the Warriors proved too much for Marian as the Tralee side booked their place in the last four of the competition with a 102-80 win. The Warriors will now take on UCC Demons in Cork next weekend as the Cork college side edged a thrilling Leeside derby overcoming Energywise Ireland Neptune by 100-93 on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan Leonard opened the bidding with a major score for Warriors but Jonathan Jean quickly replied in kind for the visitors before Brandon Mahan and Mark Stephens were in range either side of a Daniel Jokubaitis trademark three to see the Warriors lead 10-5 midway through the quarter. But Marian responded with a three from their big Eoin Nelson and when Lovre Tvrdic and Jean combined, the Dublin college side edged 15-14 ahead at quarter time.
The Warriors took the lead early in the second with a tough finish from Josh Osayanrhion followed by a major from Mahan but Marian struck back with a Tvrdic double and new signing Bryce Fitzgerald adding from either side of the arc to see the visitors go 24-19 up. The Warriors hit back with an impressive run as they locked Marian up defensively and launched a 15 point volley with Mahan, Jokubaitis, Osayanrhion, Stephens and Greg Adon all on target to put the hosts 34-24 ahead. Jean and Oscar Blanco cut the advantage with a three point score each but Leonard and Mahan both slalomed their way to the Marian board late on helping the Warriors to a 38-34 lead at half time.
Marian enjoyed their best spell in the game early in the third when Tvrdic managed to break the Warriors cover to hit a quickfire seven points and despite a three from Adon and 4 points from Leonard, a double from Nelson helped the Dublin side turn the halftime deficit into a two point lead midway through the quarter. With the game very much in the balance, it was the Warriors that made the decisive move sparked by Jokubaitis with a stunning three that kickstarted a 20 point salvo that completely spread the game. The hosts found scores as they pleased with Adon, Leonard, Mahan, Stephens and Rap Buivydas all on target with Marian only managing to punctuate the blitz with scores from Jean, Tvrdic and Blanco but at three quarter time the Warriors were 66-57 to the good heading into the final quarter.
Jokubaitis knocked down his third three of the game and a determined effort from Buivydas at the Marian board gave the Warriors a double digit lead early in the fourth but Marian replied through Tvrdic, Nelson and Blanco to keep their hosts within striking distance. However Marian were struggling to contain Warriors offensive threat and their fouls were punished ruthlessly by Leonard, Adon, Stephens and Buivydas to help the Tralee side to go 81-65 up. Jean and Cian Tiernan found the Warriors net from distance but the Warriors finished with a flourish with three point efforts from Adon, Jokubaitis with his fourth and Keelan Crowe hitting the Warriors last score of the game much to the delight of the big home crowd to seal the 102-80 win in the end.
Scorers:
Garvey's Tralee Warriors: Daniel Jokubaitis 20, Mark Stephens 15, Virgin Media MVP Brandon Mahan 15
UCD Marian: Jonathan Jean 27, Lovre Tvrdic 23, Oscar Blanco 11
