Garvey’s Tralee Warriors lost away to Belfast Star this afternoon in the Dominos Men’s Super League, 84-78.
Alan Cantwell reports
As many teams have discovered this season, Garvey's Tralee Warriors found Belfast Star too hot to handle at home as they went down to the League leaders by 84-78 at the Newforge Sports Centre on Sunday. Belfast backed up their win over Flexachem KCYMS on Saturday night to make it a double over Kerry teams this weekend and bring their League record to 13-3. The Warriors fought bravely right to the final buzzer but Belfast's game management and score getting late on was ultimately the difference between the sides.
The Warriors started brightly, and despite Daniel Jokubaitis sitting out the game through injury, Olaf Michalczuk landed his first two scores from either side of the arc, a score from Iggy Hunte and a major effort from Steven Bowler helped the Warriors to an early 10-5 lead. Aidan Quinn was also in range early from outside for the hosts and when American Shane Bell and Roger Wilson combined the Warriors advantage was cut to a single point midway through. Bell and Wilson were on the mark again soon after but Warriors finished the quarter in style with scores coming from all angles beginning with James Fernane from distance and Hunte, Jordan Perkins and Cian Sullivan joining in to help the visitors to a 25-15 lead at the end of the first.
Warriors captain Eoin Quigley pushed the lead out to 12 with the first score of the second but Bell negated that with a two point jumper and former Warrior Rap Buivydas then hit a quickfire 6 to halve the gap to 27-21. Hunte and Steve Bowler continued to keep Warriors lead inact but Wilson, Buivydas and Aidan Quinn with a fast break effort reeled the visitors back to lead by 4. Belfast then asserted midway through the period with Max Richardson knocking down a three before he and Conor Ryan took full value from the line to give Star a 5 point lead. However, Hunte and Perkins kept the Warriors right on Belfast’s heels with a late 5 point volley to pare the Belfast lead back to 38-36 at half time.
Jordan Perkins gave the Warriors the perfect start to the third with a gem from beyond the arc to edge the visitors ahead but Belfast struck back with interest when Richardson followed Perkins’ lead and scores from Wilson, Bell and a 6 point volley from Buivydas quickly put 10 between the teams. The Warriors to their credit hit the next 13 points with Perkins, Hunte, Keelan Crowe and Dan Bowler with a cracking three pointer edging the Warriors ahead with 2’00’’ on the clock. Conor Quinn hit back in kind with a typical major effort but James Fernane trumped that with a belter from the corner to give the Warriors a 58-57 lead going into the final quarter.
In a hugely entertaining final quarter the sides turned the contest into a 10 minute shootout with every score countered at the other end. Wilson, Bell and Buivydas slated 15 points for Belfast while Hunte, Perkins and Steven Bowler added 10 to the Warriors scoreline but still trailed 72-68 midway through the quarter. A pull up two from Perkins and a three from Quigley cut the gap to a single score but Belfast through Bell, Conor Ryan and Wilson kept 5 between the teams with 3’00’’ on the clock. Foul trouble caught up with Warriors as they desperately tried to find the game changing scores and the hosts took full value for three trips to the free throw line with the Quinn brothers Aidan and Conor flawless from their six attempts. Hunte hit a big three in the final minute to ensure the game went the distance and despite a late, late basket from Perkins, Belfast held on for the win as the Warriors, for the moment, cling onto 7th place on the table as the playoff race ratchets up another gear.
Scorers:
Belfast Star: Shane Bell 23, Roger Wilson 16, Rap Buivydas 14
Garvey's Tralee Warriors: Jordan Perkins 22, Iggy Hunte 21, Eoin Quigley 7, James Fernane 7
Next up for Warriors is a trip to Dublin next weekend to take on St. Vincents who will be backing up from defeats last weekend to EJ Sligo All Stars at home and away to Flexachem KCYMS. Tip off at St. Vincent’s in Glasnevin on Saturday night is 7.30pm.
Belfast Star moved two games clear at the top of the Domino's Men’s Super League table, following a 94-87 win over Flexachem KCYMS on Saturday and an 84-78 victory against Garvey's Tralee Warriors on Sunday. Their closest challengers Ballincollig were 88-74 winners over UCD Marian on Saturday, while Killester lost ground following an 84-81 home loss to UCC Demons. Ballincollig host Killester on Bank Holiday Monday.
Belfast Star kicked off the Bank Holiday against Flexachem KCYMS with Max Richardson grabbing 18 points, Roger Wilson 17 and Shane Bell 16 in their victory. For Killorglin, Jordan Blount and Jeffery Okeke combined for 42 in the loss.
Star showed no sign of fatigue in their second game of the weekend on Sunday against a solid Garvey's Tralee Warriors outfit, winning 84-78. Shane Bell starred for the home side, amassing 23 points in the game.
Ballincollig managed to recover from last week’s loss to Energywise Ireland Neptune, with an 88-74 win over UCD Marian on Saturday. Marian’s trio of Ronan Byrne, Sean Fitzpatrick and Tanner Graham combined for 49 points. Latavious Mitchell scored 25 points for Ballincollig and had 14 rebounds, along with a 16-point, 11-rebound game from Adrian O’Sullivan in a game where they were without Latrell Jossell, due to injury.
UCC Demons are firmly in the playoff hunt, following an 84-81 win against Killester and a 100-86 success against UCD Marian, to leave them eighth. The returning Tamyrik Fields scored 26 points for Demons against Killester, the two sides were locked at 79-79 with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, until two late scores from Jordan Washington, who had a team-high 31 points, gave Demons a two-point lead. A free-throw from Daryl Cuff with just 15 seconds left on the clock sealed the victory for Demons.
UCC Demons followed Saturday's win with a 100-86 home victory over playoff-hopefuls UCD Marian on Sunday. Tamyrik Fields continued as he left off from Saturday's excellent 26-point performance with a further 27 points against Marian.
EJ Sligo All-Stars picked up a vital win in the fight against relegation, thanks to an 87-82 triumph over playoff-chasing St. Vincent’s. Sligo’s newest acquisitions of Elijah Lawrence and Jordan Hinds combined for 45 points, with Lawrence scoring 25 and adding 12 rebounds, and Hinds scoring 20 along with 13 boards.
Saturday’s fixture between Griffith College Éanna and Energywise Ireland Neptune was halted at 22-4 in the first quarter, due to an injury to Cian Heaphy, with the game to be rescheduled.
Limerick Celtics secured their sixth win of the season on Sunday against Energywise Ireland Neptune, with a 105-93 road victory. Samuel John Henderson and Micheal Hayes starred for the home side, with 34 and 29 points, respectively - although it proved not to be enough against Limerick Celtics who had a very strong team performance, with six players reaching double-figures, Sean Antonio Hauser Jr. chief among them with a 25-point contribution.
There are three Bank Holiday Monday fixtures in Domino's Men's Super League - Ballincollig take on Killester, EJ Sligo All-Stars are up against Griffith College Éanna and Flexachem KCYMS host St. Vincent's.
Killester and Utility Trust St. Paul’s Killarney remain level at the top of the Domino’s Women’s Super League, Killester posted a 77-70 win at Catalyst Fr. Mathews, while Utility Trust St. Paul’s Killarney were 63-41 victors over McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles.
Audrey Roden and Michelle Clarke combined for 38 points for Killester in their seven-point triumph over Catalyst Fr. Mathews. There were 12 separate lead changes in the game, with Fr. Mathews taking a three-point advantage into half-time. Killester recovered after the break with a 26-16 final quarter, to ensure that Killester moved to a 10-3 record.
For Fr. Mathews, they remain winless for the season. Laila Blair continued to lead the way for them with a 23-point performance, along with a big contribution from Stacie Jones who had a 20-point game.
Utility Trust St. Paul's Killarney kept pace at the summit of the Domino’s Women’s Super League with their 63-41 victory over McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles. Lorraine Scanlon scored 10 of her 15 points in the opening two quarters, as St. Paul's built a 33-18 lead in the first half. Maisie Burnham kept her impressive form going with 19 points, to help secure a 22-point win for St. Paul's.
UCC Glanmire stay third, they were comfortable 112-56 winners over Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers on Sunday. Viane Cumber had 23 points, backed up by a 19-point performance from Irish international Annaliese Murphy. Glanmire finished strongly with a 36-point final quarter.
FloMAX Liffey Celtics’ National Cup hangover continued, suffering a second straight defeat, 75-53 against Trinity Meteors. Irish international Hazel Finn starred for Meteors, scoring 21 points, including three three-pointers. Ava Learn and Kylie Horstmeyer had 18 and 14-point games, respectively, for Meteors.
Two single-digit quarters in the first half left Liffey Celtics down by 24 points after the second quarter. American Brooke Kane had a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double performance. The defeat for Liffey Celtics leaves them in eighth place, level with McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles and SETU Waterford Wildcats at 6-7.
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell picked up their first victory in three games with an 85-80 win over SETU Waterford Wildcats in Parochial Hall on Saturday. Brailyn Jarrell Joseph scored 24 points along with 10 rebounds, Maddie Cluse scored 21 points and added 13 boards, while Irish international Edel Thornton added 16 for Brunell in a win that leaves the home side tied with Trinity Meteors, on an 8-5 record.
The sides were tied on four separate occasions. Brunell will travel to FloMAX Liffey Celtics next week, looking to enter the top three in the Domino’s Women’s Super League.
Results & Fixtures
Domino’s Men’s Super League
Saturday 31st January
Killester 81-84 UCC Demons
Belfast Star 94-87 Flexachem KCYMS
Griffith College Éanna P-P Energywise Ireland Neptune
UCD Marian 74-88 Ballincollig
St. Vincent’s 82-87 EJ Sligo All-Stars
Sunday 1st February
Belfast Star 84-78 Garvey's Tralee Warriors
UCC Demons 100-86 UCD Marian
Energywise Ireland Neptune 93-105 Limerick Celtics
Monday 2nd February
Ballincollig vs Killester, 2pm
Ej Sligo All-Stars vs Griffith College Éanna, 3pm
Flexachem KCYMS vs St. Vincent's, 3pm
Domino’s Men’s Division One
Thursday 29th January
Titans BC 74-81 Limerick Sport Eagles
Friday 30th January
Drogheda Wolves 95-78 Moy Tolka Rovers
Ulster University 81-74 Team Northwest
Carrick Cruisers 102-84 Malahide
Saturday 31st January
Dublin Lions 79-56 Templeogue
Limerick Sport Eagles 83-74 Maigh Cuilinn
Maree 110-70 Tipp Talons
Killarney Cougars 56-100 Titans BC
SPK Utility Trust Lakers 91-86 ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers
Domino’s Women’s Super League
Saturday 31st January
Utility Trust St. Paul's Killarney 63-41 McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles
Catalyst Fr. Mathews 70-77 Killester
Trinity Meteors 75-53 FloMAX Liffey Celtics
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 85-80 SETU Waterford Wildcats
Sunday 1st February
UCC Glanmire 112-56 Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers
Domino’s Women’s Division One
Saturday 31st January
University of Galway Mystics 61-73 Cleveland Rockets
Limerick Sport Huskies 87-61 Moy Tolka Rovers
Dublin Raiders 79-62 Swords Thunder
Clunetech Kilkenny Stars 76-67 Abbey Seals Dublin Lions
Templeogue 69-71 Limerick Celtics
