Garvey's Tralee Warriors took to their new home court in style last night when they easily accounted for EJ Sligo All Stars by 103 – 71 at the Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh Sports Hall at the Kerry Sport Academy. The Warriors moved into a game winning position as early as midway through the first quarter hitting Sligo with a decisive unanswered 20 point volley that went a long way to settling the contest. Playing for the first time on their adopted home, the Warriors maintained that sizable 20 point lead throughout before sealing their big win to remain in third place on the table heading into a pivotal week of fixtures beginning on Wednesday week away to Flexachem KCYMS.
Mark Stephens had the honour of scoring the first basket at the new venue and his effort was quickly added to by two cracking threes from Daniel Jokubaitis and a tough finish from Rap Buivydas. Jevonnie Scott replied for the visitors to hit 9 points from inside and outside and draw the sides level midway through the quarter. However the Warriors locked up defensively and denied the visitors any further score for the remaining 5 minutes. At the other end the scores rained down with Brandon Mahan, Cian Sullivan, Josh Osayanrhion and Stephens all in range from inside and majors from Ryan Leonard and Jokubaitis with his third to see the Warriors lead 33-13 at quarter time.
Sligo's Harry Gent came off the bench to strike for a double and Rob Montgomery’s first of the night gave the All Stars the start to the second quarter they needed but when Stephens, Leonard and Buivydas combined the gap was back out to 44-20. The Warriors continued to benefit from shooting from distance with Greg Adon and Mahan converting the home side hit the 50 point mark. Sligo’s resistance came through Montgomery, Jonathan Brown and Scott but at half time the hosts were in total control leading 54-31.
The third quarter saw Sligo go on a run that quickly halved the Warriors lead. Spearheaded by Irish international John Carroll, who hit 10 in the quarter, and added to by captain Tom Child, Montgomery and Scott, and despite Stephens bringing his personal tally to 16 with a quickfire 6 points and scores from Jokubaitis and Adon, the Warriors lead was cut down to 65-53. However the home side finished the quarter with a flourish of their own through Stephens and Jokubaitis with two each and Mahan and Adon to bring a 77-55 lead into the final quarter.
Another major from Adon edged the Warriors lead out to 25 early in the fourth but two majors from Jonathan Brown either side of another from Scott cut the advantage back to 17. That was as good as it got for the All Stars as their effort relented and the Warriors saw out the win in some style beginning with a three each from Adon and Mahan. Harry Gent hit two late scores for the visitors but James Fernane came off the bench for the Warriors to drain a major score with his first touch and he added again before the final buzzer sounded after a Josh Osayanrhion dunk pushed the hosts past the 100 point mark.
It was a relatively straightforward win for the Warriors at their new home and maybe Sligo’s midweek exertions from their one point win away to Neptune told. The Warriors will now face into three fixtures in five days beginning with a trip to Killorglin for a local derby on Wednesday week followed two days later by a journey to Neptune Stadium to take on the Pat Price coached Energywise Ireland Neptune side before heading back to the Kerry Sports Academy on Sunday 2nd March for a battle with Ballincollig. It is a pivotal series of games that will shape the remainder of the Warriors season.
Scorers:
Garvey's Tralee Warriors: Mark Stephens 20, Daniel Jokubaitis 17, Brandon Mahan 15
EJ Sligo AllStars: Jevonnie Scott 21, John Carroll 15, Jonathan Brown 11
Alan Cantwell reports
Warriors coach John Dowling
Team Flexachem lost to Bright St. Vincents after overtime, 89-96.
The Killorglin outfit arrived with a change of personnel. Clay Ladine has left the squad and in his place Cani Glover from Boston,a 6 foot 3 point guard. Team Flexachem settled quickly thanks to scores from Jordan Blount and Eche Okeke and had them ahead by 3 at 19 to 22 by quarters end. St. Vincents got off to a flier in the 2nd quarter thanks to JaRon Thames and Isiah Gaiter and saw them lead the encounter by half time at 49 to 41.
Beni Fungala had a good 3rd quarter for the Launesiders which helped to claw back the deficit with the teams all square at 62 each heading into the final quarter. The 4th period was a very close and tense affair with the lead changing hands on several occasions and finished at 77 all and heading for overtime.
Two minutes in and Jordan Blount was fouled out; this handed the initiative to Vincents with JaRon Thames ruling the roost and saw them run out winners on a final score of 96 to 89.
Team Flexachem’s next game is a home tie against local rivals Garvey’s Tralee Warriors on Wednesday 26th of February at 7.15 in the Killorglin Sports Complex.
In the Men’s National League Killarney Cougars went down 82-94 at Limerick Sport Eagles.
Top Scorers:
Cougars
Joshua Strongman 33
Ben Todd 20
Jack Lynch 10
Eagles
Alex Carlisle 21
AJ Walsh 15
Ignacio Folgueiras 14
Garvey's Tralee Warriors Women sit joint second on the League table following a 65-47 win over Titans of Galway at Mercy Mounthawk Gym. They join Fr. Mathews and Glanmire, one win behind leaders and their next opponents St. Mary’s Castleisland, who have five wins from six played with their only defeat coming away to Glanmire in Round 4.
The Warriors stunned Titans from the tip off to quickly build a 19-0 lead with Niamh Collins started the bidding with a three pointer and Holly O’Brien and Claire O’Mahony following that with a score apiece. Collins struck again from inside and out and after Grace Lucid opened her account, Collins completed a hat-trick of majors to continue the offensive attack. Titans eventually got on the scoresheet with Elizabeth Sander on the mark from distance and a score from Ewelina Feeney but O’Brien with a lay-up gave the Warriors a 21-5 lead at quarter time.
Aisling Counihan nailed a three pointer to open the second and Collins followed her lead to hit her fourth major of the game to ease the Warriors 30-7 up. Titans were struggling to find any way to the Warriors basket but Eve Reynolds and Alexia Silochi did add a score each. However all the action was at the other end of the court and Claire O’Mahony fired down a three and scores from O’Brien and Lucy O’Donnell gave the hosts a game winning 37-13 lead.
Three scores in a row from Silochi and another from Reynolds gave the Titans score a better look but scores from O’Donnell, O’Brien, Lucid and Collins continued the Warriors dominance of the exchanges to lead 45-21. Danielle O’Brien hit from inside and out either side of another from Reynolds kept the Titans in the game but O’Brien and O’Mahony were in range to keep their sizable advantage intact. Reynolds gave Titans a glimmer of hope landing a score late on to leave 20 between the teams at three quarter time.
Titans needed a fast start to the fourth and got it with a double from Reynolds either side of a basket from Danielle O’Brien and when Sander was also in range the gap was suddenly down to 53-41. O’Brien hit a double with Counihan adding from inside to restore the Warriors advantage but Sander hit two in a row for the visitors to leave just 10 between the sides. However the Warriors asserted late on with Counihan and O’Brien combining before a three point effort from Grace Lucid effectively sealed the Warriors win by 65-47 in the end.
Scorers: Garvey's Tralee Warriors: Holly O'Brien 22, Niamh Collins 16, Claire O'Mahony 8
Titans: Alexia Silochi 12, Eve Reynolds 12, Elizabeth Sander 10
Next up for the Warriors Women is a local derby showdown away to keen rivals St. Mary’s Castleisland on Friday 28th February at 7.30pm.
(Warriors pictures courtesy of @lukeomahony.photography on Instagram)
Alan Cantwell reports
Today it’s the turn of the BIDL Mens side who will look to stretch their unbeaten record in the League to six when they host Atlantic Eagles at Moyderwell Gym at 1.
