Star Of The Sea's challenge for the men's Superleague title hung in the balance against Tralee at the Maysfield Centre yesterday but the Belfast side somehow staggered across the winning line in a match they appeared to be in control of at half-time.
The final scoreline of 92-89 to Star accurately reflected just how trying the final few minutes were for Danny Fulton's men who had to win to stay two points behind the unbeaten Delta, who had defeated St Vincent's comfortably 99-85 on Friday night.
Star appeared to be in charge in the first half and led 51-37 at half time after major contributions from their American duo of Leahy and Guittar.
The early part of the second half though belonged largely to Tralee who proceeded to reduce the 14point deficit to a single basket with five minutes remaining.
From there on, only an inspired spell of seven consecutive points from Adrian Fulton kept Tralee at bay and, as the Kerry side slumped into foul trouble in the closing minutes, Star defended their narrow advantage from the free throw line.
Tralee's Roscoe Patterson was the highest scorer in the game on 35 points while Star's outstanding player, yet again, was Leahy, who scored 33.
Third placed Dungannon, who were only promoted from division one last season, continue to grind out impressive wins in close matches. They prevailed again on Saturday night against Ballina by 85 points to 77. With results elsewhere breaking well for the Tyrone team, they are now four points clear of the mid-table logjam and look increasingly secure in their quest to qualify for the Top Six Championship at the end of the season.
Qualification for the Top Six is again a possibility for bottom club Neptune after they ended their long losing sequence with a comprehensive 104-81 victory over Killester in Cork on Saturday night.
Neptune re-signed Harold Joiner shortly before the game and the mobile American repaid the club's restored faith in him by leading their scorers on 23 points from Cuban Augusto Duquesne on 21. Tom O'Sullivan was in fine form again scoring 17 as Neptune took control to lead 54-36 at half time. They then stretched away in the second half to an easy win.
The closest game in the Superleague took place in Killarney where the home side only just got the better of Marian who played without American Mike Amos.
Even so, the Dubliners led 8179 with just two seconds to go when Blake Gage levelled it for Killarney and drew a foul in the process. Gage cooly scored from the resultant free throw to give Killarney an 82-81 victory.
In Division One, Sligo still lead the table by four points in spite of losing their 100 per cent record at home to Limerick, who won 9074. Second placed Waterford were also beaten in the highest combined scoring game of the season in any division as Castleisland won 122-113 on their home court. Robbie Turner scored 48 points for the Kerry side.
In the women's superleague, the meeting of the two teams in joint second place resulted in a 73-70 win for Naomh Mhuire over Tolka at Griffith Avenue. Mhuire took an early lead and were 42-30 ahead at half time before just holding off a Tolka rally in the closing minutes.
Edel O'Gorman (28 pts) and June Blount (17 pts) were the best players on court and effectively won the game for Mhuire who closed to within two points of the leaders Wildcats, who had a rest weekend.
