UCC DEMONS LIFTED their eighth InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup and claimed their first title since 2014/15, following a 82-68 win over Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU at the National Basketball Arena.
Ballincollig @MTU led 22-19 after the first quarter and continued to keep their noses in front in the second, with Shawndale Jones Jr. a potent threat. His three point jump shot three minutes into the second quarter had his side 29-23 up. The American would have 20 points by half-time.
UCC Demons got level at 43 a-piece after a pair of James Beckom free throws in third minute of the third quarter. Andre Nation’s response was a dunk to nudge Ballincollig back in front.
Demons went into the lead for the first time four-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter, 50-47, thanks to a three point jump shot from deep by Tal Fam Thiam. And a big three from James Hannigan three-and-a-half minutes to go in the quarter had the UCC Demons fans on their feet as they led 53-49. It would be UCC Demons ahead by four at the end of it too, 59-55, to set up a tense final quarter with nothing between the sides.
A turnaround jump shot by Seventh Woods opened the scoring in the final stanza. A Tal Fam Thiam jump shot had UCC Demons 68-60 to the good four minutes in, prompting a roar of delight from the player and his supporters in the stands. That exuberance among the Demons fans was surpassed when Woods landed his three point jump shot to put UCC Demons ahead by twelve, 73-61, with four-and-a-half minutes to go, to bring Woods’ tally to 18 at that stage. He would finish with 22.
Ballincollig @MTU kept plugging away, a Keelan Cairns layup with 2’31” left on the clock saw them trail 73-67. Elijah Tillman, a forceful presence in the paint, came up with a pair of layups either side of a Jones Jr. free throw, to settle Demons’ nerves and they were 77-68 up with 55 seconds to go and would eventually seal a 82-68 victory.
“The atmosphere was crazy tonight and my coaches fired me up, just told me to go out there and play my game and make shots and that’s what I did,” Woods, who was joint-MVP with James Hannigan, said afterwards.
“We’ve been playing from behind this whole season, so going in at half time being down didn’t phase us. We just kept our composure and came out fighting, and it was that fight that got us the win today.”
It caps a remarkable return for UCC Demons, winning the insureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup in their third season back in the National League and second season in the Super League.
Earlier today, UCD Marian won the InsureMyHouse.ie Presidents’ Cup and Waterford Wildcats were crowned U20 Women’s National Cup champions.
And Limerick Celtics won both the Women’s Division One National Cup and U20 Men’s National Cup titles for the very first time.
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU: Nikola Roso, Adrian O’Sullivan, Andre Nation, Andrew O’Connor, Diego O’Herlihy, Sean McManus, Ciaran O’Sullivan, Ronan O’Sullivan, Shawndale Jones Jr., Luke O’Sullivan, Brendan Douanla, Keelan Cairns.
Head Coach: Ciaran O’Sullivan
Top Scorers: Shawndale Jones Jr. 27, Andre Nation 16, Nikola Roso 10
UCC Demons: Scott Hannigan, James Beckom, Kyle Hosford, James Hannigan, David Lehane, Tala Fam Thiam, Matthew McCarthy, Carelton Cuff, Cian Looney, Elijah Tillman, Seventh Woods, James Tobin.
Head Coach: Daniel O’Mahony
Top Scorers: Seventh Woods 22, Elijah Tillman 17, James Beckom and James Hannigan (both 13).
