GARVEY’S TRALEE WARRIORS are the InsureMyVan.ie Super League champions and have clinched the double in the process, following a 78-72 final win over C&S Neptune at the National Basketball Arena.
It was a thrilling start to this game; a pair of three point jump shots from Roy Downey and one from Richaud Gittens put C&S Neptune 17-5 ahead with four-and-a-half minutes gone. But Garvey’s Tralee Warriors started to find their range; a three from Fergal O’Sullivan and one in the dying seconds of the quarter from Daniel Jokubaitis saw them trail 28-25.
C&S Neptune stayed in front throughout the second quarter. Darragh O’Hanlon reduced the deficit to two in the final minute, before Roy Downey’s layup saw C&S Neptune lead 42-38 at half-time.
Gary Walsh’s three pointer with a little over four minutes to go in the third saw C&S Neptune’s ahead 49-45. Aaron Calixte had a quiet opening half, but he started to find openings, his three with a minute to go in the third quarter made it a three point game once more, 57-54. Daniel Jokubaitis looked certain for an easy layup straight afterwards, only for an outstanding block by Miles Washington, something which was greeted with a huge cheer from the C&S Neptune fans. It would be 60-54 by the end of the quarter.
A Nil Sabata dunk handed C&S Neptune a seven point lead, 64-57, but again Garvey’s Tralee Warriors responded, thanks to O’Hanlon’s three point jump shot and two layups from Nikola Roso and it was 66-64 with five and a half minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Garvey’s Tralee Warriors took the lead for the first time in the game with 3’47 to go, following another Roso layup, to make it 68-67. Kieran Donaghy then landed a fine two point jump shot from the corner, to put them up by three.
Calixte’s influence was growing, he made telling contributions in the final minute, with a layup, a jump shot and two free throws, to bring his tally to 21 overall and helped him claim the MVP, as Tralee Warriors secured a 78-72 win.
“To win the double is absolutely incredible,” Garvey’s Tralee Warriors captain Fergal O’Sullivan said.
“First time ever for a Tralee team. We’ll celebrate tonight. We’ve battled through injuries, Covid, sicknesses, but we stuck together (this season) and we just battled.”
“That’s our second game now against Neptune,” he added. “They’re a terrific outfit. They’re going to win trophies soon.”
Elsewhere today, The Address UCC Glanmire completed the domestic treble, following their 82-68 MissQuote.ie Champions Trophy victory over Singleton SuperValu Brunell in the all-Cork final.
An outstanding first-half performance from Ireland international Claire Melia put The Address UCC Glanmire in control. The forward converted all four of her three-point attempts on her way to a 24-point haul in the first half alone. Melia would finish with 26 in total, on the way to picking up the MVP.
Singleton SuperValu Brunell were without Ireland co-captain Edel Thornton, who injured her MCL in their semi-final win over WIT Waterford Wildcats. Thornton is often the player who dictates the tempo for Singleton SuperValu Brunell and her absence was keenly felt. It meant that more responsibility shifted to their two Americans, Shannon Ryan and Kwanza Murray. They duly led stepped up, registering 16 and 10 points by half-time, however they trailed 60-35.
Singleton SuperValu Brunell kept plugging away and had a strong third quarter, outscoring The Address UCC Glanmire 16-7, with Ryan scoring half their points and they trailed 67-51. Ryan would finish the game with 26 points.
A Kwanza Murray three pointer just after the midpoint of the fourth quarter instigated a run. Katie Walsh followed with a layup and a three point jump shot of her own to make 74-66 with 3’45” to go. Another Murray layup and it was a six point game. Four points from The Address UCC Glanmire’s Tierney Prifman stemmed the tide and they led 78-68 with a minute and half to go and would eventually win it 82-68.
The Address UCC Glanmire head coach Mark Scannell said: “We haven’t been perfect today, but we’ve been pretty perfect all year. Played really good basketball, so I’m delighted with them. To win three trophies is an unbelievable achievement. It takes a lot of effort, a lot of focus and a lot of hard work. They deserve all the credit that they should get tonight.”
Meanwhile, UCC Demons sealed a double of their own, after the InsureMyHouse.ie Presidents’ National Cup champions added the InsureMyVan.ie Division 1 crown, beating Ej Sligo All Stars 88-81 in the final.
- Reports by Nathaniel Cope for Basketball Ireland.
