Pyrobel Killester ensured they remain well in contention for this season’s MissQuote.ie Women’s Super League crown after they edged a narrow 81-78 win over FloMAX Liffey Celtics.
Meanwhile in the InsureMyVan.ie Super League, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors fought back from 26 points down to beat UCC Demons 90-84 in Tralee Sports Complex.
Killester underscored their title credentials with a hard-earned three-point win on Saturday.
Both sides were looking to bounce back swiftly from their National Cup elimination the previous week and it was the Claire Melia-inspired Dubliners who returned to winning ways to keep the heat on Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell at the top.
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“Sometimes you have to win while not being at your best and that’s what I feel we did today” said Killester head coach, Mark Grennell.
“The win is obviously important as we can’t afford to fall any further behind. We needed to keep the pressure on those in front,” he stressed.
Brunell ensured that Killester’s stay at the top was brief as they battled out an 83-74 home win over Trinity Meteors on Sunday.
A mere point separated the two sides at the half-time break, but aided by some solid scoring by Jayla Nacole Johnson (24 points), Edel Thornton (17) and Kyaja Victoria Williams (16), the leaders managed to put a little more daylight between themselves and their Dublin rivals to secure a crucial win.
SETU Waterford Wildcats made it three wins on the bounce in the top tier after they saw off defending champions The Address UCC Glanmire 81-72 in Mercy Gym.
Shanai’jah Davison produced another impressive display with 27 points for the home side, while Sarah Hickey, fresh from her 40-point performance for Waterford’s Under 20s in their National Cup semi-final victory over Liffey Celtics the previous week, mopped up 13 rebounds and as many points on Saturday.
Ulster University returned home from St Mary’s Hall having weathered a spirited challenge from strugglers, Portlaoise Panthers to earn a 71-57 victory.
Finding themselves 11 points down against their hosts almost midway through the second quarter, Ulster increased their physicality under the boards to produce a comeback that was largely fuelled by Trinity Oliver’s 28 points and 15 rebounds.
DCU Mercy managed to pull clear of University of Galway Mystics over the closing eight minutes to earn a hard-fought 78-73 home win on Sunday, Brynley Fitzgerald, again proving invaluable to their cause with 32 points.
Head coach, John Dowling was unequivocal regarding how he felt about his Garvey’s Tralee Warriors players following the remarkable comeback against UCC Demons that earned them a 90-84 victory in Friday night’s Men’s Super League clash in Tralee.
Indeed, the hangover from an agonising National Cup exit at the hands of Ballincollig the week before looked set to be prolonged for Tralee who found themselves 26 points adrift of Demons just over three minutes into the second quarter.
But, inspired by Daniel Jokubaitis, who emerged with a game-high 21, Tralee won all of the remaining three quarters, as Caleb Jordan served up nine assists while Kieran Donaghy and Rapolas Buivydas made their presence felt under the boards with a combined 17 rebounds.
“The performance by this group, to come from 26 down, shows the belief we have in Tralee and I am so proud of how hard they battled to pull this one out of the fire” said Dowling.
Belfast Star head coach, Adrian Fulton was equally proud of his side’s battling qualities as they survived three rounds of overtime to eventually see off a dogged EJ Sligo All-Stars outfit 98-97 in De La Salle College.
The North Conference table toppers appeared to be coasting by the half-time recess, at which point they led by 21 points, but, inspired by Chrishon Briggs who bagged 31 on the night, Sligo battled back to draw level at 77 points apiece by the final buzzer.
But, with Frenki Lilaj serving up 24 points and 17 rebounds and Patrick McGaharan and Conor Quinn also delivering big displays on the night, Belfast did just enough to clinch this one.
“It was a titanic struggle and both sets of players left everything on the floor” said Fulton. “We’re just pleased that we managed to show terrific spirit and find a way to grind out an excellent win” he added.
Ballincollig managed to keep pace with Tralee at the top of the South Conference after they edged a 90-87 victory away to Flexachem KCYMS in Killorglin Sports Complex.
While Terry Winn carded 24 points and 19 rebounds for the hosts, Shawdale Jones Jr drained a huge 34 points and Adrian O’Sullivan and Andre Nation combined for a further 38 for the visitors, who will now be turning their attention to Saturday’s National Cup decider against UCC Demons.
Kason Harrell served up a monstrous 50 points as Killester beat Griffith College Éanna 110-91 to draw level with their Rathfarnham rivals in second place in the North Conference.
Only a solitary point separated the two sides as they approached the midway point of the third-quarter, but, with Harrell in form throughout, the visitors eventually stormed to a 19-point victory.
Even a 35-point haul by William Jenkins was not enough to inspire Bright St. Vincent’s to success against Energywise Ireland Neptune, who bounced back from their National Cup semi-final exit with a 105-94 triumph over their Dublin rivals in Neptune Stadium.
The Cork side finished this tie with five players on double figures, including Cian Heaphy and Jordan Blount who each chalked up 21, the latter also serving up 17 rebounds and seven assists.
A disappointing second quarter, in which they were outscored by 15, proved costly for Templeogue as they went down 80-70 to Ulster University in Nord Anglia International School.
Eric Anderson led the way for the visitors with 18 points and 11 rebounds while Conor Liston netted 16 to see off a Templeogue side for whom Lonzia Tyson chalked up 18 points and as many rebounds.
Meanwhile in the Kingfisher Sports Arena, Maree surmounted a tough challenge from Maigh Cuilinn to win 82-76, with Terence Lewis II accounting for 20 points and 12 rebounds for the winners while Grant Olsson carded the exact same for the visitors.
Results
MissQuote.ie Super League
Saturday, January 13th
Pyrobel Killester 81-78 FloMAX Liffey Celtics
SETU Waterford Wildcats 81-72 The Address UCC Glanmire
Portlaoise Panthers 57-71 Ulster University
Sunday, January 14th
DCU Mercy 78-73 University of Galway Mystics
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 83-74 Trinity Meteors
InsureMyVan.ie Super League
Friday, January 12th
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 90-84 UCC Demons
Saturday, January 13th
Belfast Star 98-97 EJ Sligo All-Stars
Energywise Ireland Neptune 105-94 Bright St. Vincent’s
Templeogue 70-80 Ulster University
Griffith College Éanna 91-110 Pyrobel Killester
Maree 82-76 Maigh Cuilinn
Flexachem KCYMS 87-90 Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig@MTU
MissQuote.ie Division One
Saturday, January 13th
Phoenix Rockets 70-50 Moy Tolka Rovers
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles 80-56 Marble City Hawks
St. Pauls Killarney 87-64 Abbey Seals Dublin Lions
Sunday, January 14th
Limerick Sport Huskies 84-92 Oblate Dynamos
SETU Carlow 63-72 iSecure Swords Thunder
Limerick Celtics 75-69 Templeogue
InsureMyVan.ie Division One
Saturday, January 13th
Team NorthWest 93-81 Titans BC
Joels Dublin Lions 83-96 Limerick Sport Eagles
Moy Tolka Rovers 82-66 Killarney Cougars
Mater Private Malahide 81-91 SETU Waterford Vikings
UCD Marian 106-68 Limerick Celtics
Drogheda Wolves 80-75 SETU Carlow
Kavanagh’s Portlaoise Panthers 106-105 Scotts Lakers Killarney
