Garvey’s Tralee Warriors have won their 7th successive game in the Men’s Super League.
They’ve beaten Maree 107-75.
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors sit proudly on top of the Mens Super League table after brushing aside the challenge of Maree in comprehensive fashion by 107-75 at the Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday night to bring their winning run to seven straight wins. With the fixture only fully confirmed to take place on Thursday morning due to Maree’s appeal of sanctions relating to registration of players, the Galway side looked decidedly deflated before a ball was even bounced. On the other hand the Warriors side were high on confidence and tight in defence and with five players scoring in double digits the League points were secure a long time before the final buzzer sounded
The Warriors stormed into the contest with Daniel Jokuabitis and Mark Stephens combining for double each and when Brandan Mahan knocked down a tough three after Rap Buivydas had opened his account, the hosts led 16-5. Maree were stunned and but for major efforts from Zvonimir Cutuk and Jarett Haines with two the game could have been blown wide open. The Warriors offensive machine did not relent and Jokubaitis with his first three of the night sparked another run of scores from Joshua Osayanrhion, Eoin Quigley, Stephens, Buivydas and Cian Sullivan to see the Warriors lead 33-19 at quarter time.
Cutuk edged Maree closer with the opening score of the second quarter but the Warriors again got to work and Buivydas continued his good form to fire in from inside and out. By the time Stephens, Jokubaitis and Mahan all added the gap was suddenly out to 46-26. Maree’s resistance came largely from the hand of Haines with efforts from either side of the arc and a three from Joe Junior Mvuezolo but the Warriors defence was not allowing the visitors gain any traction around the key. At the other end Sullivan added his second late on and Stephens stepped through the Maree rearguard to lay up bringing the first half to a close with the Warriors leading 53-34.
Buivydas and Virgin Media MVP Jokubaitis lit up early in the third to add a quick fire 10 points but Maree negated those through Haines, Mvuezolo, Cutuk and Nathan Davis to hold to lead to 63-46. However, Warriors captain knocked down his second three of the night between baskets from Mahan from inside and outside to push their advantage out to 25. A technical to the Maree bench was punished by Jokubaitis before Mahan, Stephens and a brilliant and-one from Osayanrhion stretched the lead even further and despite two late baskets from Cutuk, the Warriors headed into the fourth quarter 27 points ahead.
The final quarter saw Maree, to their credit, continue to seek out scores and a half dozen threes from Mvuezolo, Davis and Huw Bevan kept the score reasonable but the Warriors baskets kept coming from Stephens, Buivydas, Mahan and Osayanrhion. The biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Steven Bowler who came on to nail a corner three to the delight of the big home crowd. The cheers continued when John Dowling emptied the bench to have five young Tralee players on the court and with Bowler, James Fernane and Olaf Michalczuk all in range late on it provided a glimpse of the strength in depth of the Warriors squad as they took their League winning tally to seven on a final scoreline of 107-75.
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Brandon Mahan 20, Rap Buivydas 19, Daniel Jokubaitis 18
Maree: Jarett Haines 20, Joe Junior Mvuezolo 20, Zvonimir Cutuk 16
Next up for Warriors is a trip to Sligo to take on EJ Sligo All-Stars who were very unlucky to be pipped by a single point after double overtime by the Warriors nearest League rivals Éanna, who themselves come to Tralee in mid-December for what promises to be a titanic battle.
Alan Cantwell reports
MVP Daniel Jokubaitis
Warriors coach John Dowling
Flexachem KCYMS lost at Ballincollig, 84-79. Ger Nolan reports
An opening 2 points scored by Ballincollig's Jake Wolfe was quickly followed by a 3 pointer for Killorglin's Jordan Blount. Eche Okeke went on to score 11 points for team Flexachem and along with contributions by Beni Fungala and Nathaniel Powell had the away team ahead at quarters end on a score line of 21-25.
A scrappy low scoring 2nd quarter saw team Flexachem ahead by 10 pts by halftime at 31-41.
The 3rd quarter saw Ballincollig claw back the lead with the help of 3 3-point scores from Ciaran O'Sullivan, but Killorglin hit back with scores from Jordan Blount, Eche Okeke and Beni Fungala which saw the Killorglin outfit hold on to a 9-point lead by the end of the 3rd quarter at 53-62.
Ballincollig upped the ante big time in the 4th quarter and clocked a big 31 points with 3 pointers from Jake Wolfe, and their big centre Keelan Carins, and by mid-way in the final quarter had gone ahead at 72-71. With 3 minutes left in the quarter the teams were tied at 74-74. But a big final 2 minutes Ballincollig's American Quashan Lane coupled with a lot of missed chances by team Flexachem saw the home side see the game out on a final score of 84-79.
Best for team Flexachem were Eche Okeke on 24, Beni Fungala 20 and Jordan Blount on 19 points.
Team Flexachem has another double header weekend coming up when they welcome Bright St. Vincent's of Dublin to the Killorglin sports complex next Saturday evening with a 7.15 tip off and on Sunday the 17th of November travel to Cork to play Neptune with a 2 o'clock tip off for that game.
In the Men’s National League Scotts Lakers Killarney won 86-83 at Drogheda. Enda Walshe reports
Basketball Ireland weekend review:
Griffith College Éanna required double overtime to edge out EJ Sligo All-Stars 100-99 in Coláiste Éanna on Saturday night, getting their Men’s Super League title defence back on track following two successive defeats, while current leaders, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors extended their record to 7 and 0 after they comfortably accounted for Maree 107-75 in Tralee Sports Complex. In Sunday’s Cork derby, UCC Demons ran out convincing 106-76 winners at home against Energywise Ireland Neptune.
Defending Men’s Super League champions, Griffith College Éanna were taken to double-overtime before finally managing to pip EJ Sligo All-Stars 100-99 in an edge-of-the-seat encounter in Coláiste Éanna on Saturday night.
Darren McGovern’s side had to fight their way back from 10 points down early in the fourth, Mark Reynolds holding his nerve from the free-throw line to tie the game up and force added time.
Tyland Crawford, on his debut for the Dublin side, put up a combined 13 points with Sean Jenkins in overtime, taking their game total to 51, while Joshua Wilson carded 11 rebounds and nine assists to help see Éanna scrape over the line against their Sligo rivals, who had five players in double figures, including Jonathan Brown (25) and Thomas Child (22).
The victory marked a return to winning ways in the league for Éanna, after successive reversals at the hands of Energywise Ireland Neptune and Killester saw them lose ground on table toppers, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors.
“Sligo played flawless most of the game, but we got stops and played our way back to send it to overtime” said Éanna head coach, Darren McGovern.
“Again, some fantastic efforts defensively put us into position to win the game, but we have work to do to be more consistent and better overall” he admitted.
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors remained six points clear at the summit following their facile 107-75 win over Maree in Tralee Sports Complex that extended their record to 7 and 0.
The Kerry side took all four quarters as Brandon Mahan, Rapolas Buivydas and Daniel Jokubaitis put up a total of 57 points, while Cian Sullivan mopped up 10 rebounds against a Maree outfit for whom Joe-Junior Mvuezolo and Jarett Haines each hit 20.
“I’m extremely happy with the overall team performance” said Tralee Head Coach, John Dowling. “Defensively we really stepped it up early and that was probably the difference overall.”
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU mounted a huge fourth-quarter comeback to dig out an 84-79 victory over Flexachem KCYMS in the early Saturday evening Men’s Super League fixture in MTU Arena.
The homeside appeared to be on course for a third straight defeat as they found themselves nine-points adrift of their opponents heading into the closing seven minutes of action.
But timely threes down the stretch by Keelan Cairns and the newly-acquired Quashawn Lane, who also delivered in the paint and from the free-throw line, helped see Ballincollig pull this one out of the fire.
Todd Wolfe also played a big part in this victory for the Cork side, chalking up 25 points and eight rebounds to help counter to combined 66 from Flexachem’s Jeffrey Okeke, Beni Fungula and Jordan Blount.
Charlie Coombes’ last-minute bucket was all that separated Bright St. Vincent’s from Templeogue as they edged a 74-72 win in Saturday night’s bottom of the table Dublin derby in St. Vincent’s CBS.
In what was a frantic battle between two teams desperate for a second win in six league outings, it was the hosts who clinch the much-desired spoils, thanks in no small measure to Jaron Thames’ 24 points and the combined 23 rebounds that Giorgi Tvalabeishvili and Eoin McCann soaked up.
While the win lifted St. Vincent’s up into a share of ninth place, Templeogue have been left rooted to the foot of the table, despite the 55-point contribution they had from Immanuel Allen and Tavias Fagan.
In Sunday’s Cork derby, it was UCC Demons who took the bragging rights as they chalked up a huge 106-76 triumph over Energywise Ireland Neptune in Mardyke Arena.
The hosts took every quarter in this showdown as Sean Clancey put up 20 points, while Elijah Tillman and James Hannigan each mopped up 10 under the boards and combined for 33 points to help their side move up the table for a share of third place alongside Killester.
In Men’s Division One, ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers brought to an end, Titans’ unbeaten start to the season, while extending theirs to six games, as they ran out comprehensive 101-70 winners in St. Mary’s Hall on Saturday evening.
Limerick Celtics are the only other unbeaten outfit in the division, the table toppers taking their record to 6 and 0 after they ran out 98-89 winners over Carrick Cruisers in Crescent College.
Ulster University fought back from seven points down in the second quarter to card an emphatic 102-79 triumph over Killarney Cougars in Jordanstown Sports Village, while Moy Tolka Rovers weathered a severe test by Tipp Talons to edge a 76-74 home win.
Limerick Sport Eagles emerged 109-82 winners over Joels Dublin Lions in UL Arena, while Mater Private Malahide prevailed 76-71 in overtime away to Maigh Cuilinn in University of Galway Kingfisher.
There was success on the road also for Scotts Lakers Killarney and Team NorthWest, the former edging an 86-83 win over Drogheda Wolves in Ballymakenny College, while NorthWest clinched a 75-73 triumph over SETU Waterford Vikings in Carrickpherish Hall.
In what was the only Women’s Division One fixture during this week’s international window, Abbey Seals Dublin Lions went joint second in the table with iSecure Swords Thunder following their 89-68 victory over Templeogue in Coláiste Bríde.
Results
Men’s Super League
Saturday November 9th
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU 84-79 Flexachem KCYMS
Griffith College Éanna 100-99 EJ Sligo All-Stars
Bright St. Vincent’s 74-72 Templeogue
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 107-75 Maree
Sunday November 10th
UCC Demons 106-76 Energywise Ireland Neptune
Men’s Division One
Saturday November 9th
Ulster University 102-79 Killarney Cougars
ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers 101-70 Titans BC
Limerick Celtics 98-89 Carrick Cruisers
Moy Tolka Rovers 76-74 Tipp Talons
Limerick Sport Eagles 109-82 Joels Dublin Lions
Maigh Cuilinn 71-76 Mater Private Malahide
Drogheda Wolves 83-86 Scotts Lakers Killarney
SETU Waterford Vikings 73-75 Team NorthWest
Women’s Division One
Saturday November 9th
Abbey Seals Dublin Lions 89-68 Templeogue
Fixtures
Women’s Super League
Saturday November 16th
Catalyst Fr. Mathews vs The Address UCC Glanmire, Fr. Mathews Arena, 1700
SETU Waterford Wildcats vs Trinity Meteors, Mercy College, 1700
FloMAX Liffey Celtics vs Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell, Leixlip Amenities, 1900
Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers vs Killester, St. Mary’s Hall, 1900.
Sunday November 17th
University of Galway Mystics vs Utility Trust St. Paul’s, University of Galway Kingfisher, 1230
Men’s Super League
Saturday November 16th
Templeogue vs UCC Demons, National Basketball Arena, 1800
Belfast Star vs Griffith College Éanna, Newforge Sports Complex, 1830
Flexachem KCYMS vs Bright St. Vincent’s, Killorglin Sports Complex, 1915
EJ Sligo All-Stars vs Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, Mercy College, 1930
Energywise Ireland Neptune vs Killester, Neptune Stadium, 1930
Sunday November 17th
Energywise Ireland Neptune vs Flexachem KCYMS, Neptune Stadium, 1400
UCC Demons vs Maree, Mardyke Arena, 1500
UCD Marian vs EJ Sligo All-Stars, UCD Sports Centre, 1500
Belfast Star vs Templeogue, De la Salle College, 1500
Killester vs Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU, IWA Clontarf, 1500
Women’s Division One
Saturday November 16th
Cleveland Rockets vs Limerick Sport Huskies, Lisburn Racquets Club, 1500
iSecure Swords Thunder vs Limerick Celtics, ALSAA, 1730
Moy Tolka Rovers vs Templeogue, Tolka Rovers, 1900
Oblate Dynamos vs McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles, Oblate Hall, 1930
Men’s Division One
Saturday November 16th
Team NorthWest vs Carrick Cruisers, ATU Donegal, 1800
Tipp Talons vs Killarney Cougars, Scoil Ruain, Killenaule, 1830
Mater Private Malahide vs Ulster University, Malahide Community School, 1900
Drogheda Wolves vs ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers, Ballymakenny College, 1930
Joels Dublin Lions vs Moy Tolka Rovers, Coláiste Bríde, 1930
Scotts Lakers Killarney vs Maigh Cuilinn, Killarney Sports & Leisure, 1930
SETU Waterford Vikings vs Limerick Sport Eagles, SETU College Hall, 1930
Sunday November 17th
Limerick Celtics vs Titans BC, Crescent College, 1515
