Dominos Mens Super League R8
EJ Sligo All Stars 94
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 93
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors led for early second of the final quarter except the all-important final two as they were edged out on the buzzer by 94-93 by EJ Sligo All Stars in Round 8 of the Dominos Mens Super League played at Mercy College in Sligo on Sunday.
The Warriors looked like they had shaken off the defeat to Ballincollig on Friday night in the early minutes of the first quarter as Daniel Jokubaitis struck for a hattrick of scores from beyond the arc and with Iggy Hunte and Dan Bowler also on the mark they led 17-8. Sligo found their scores through Ryell Rodney Etyle-Rock, Olu Toluogunkoya and Elijah Faapito but when Jazere Noel replicated Jokubaitis’ triple strike from distance and Etyle-Rock added an unanswered six points the gap was down to a single point. Jokubaitis and Eoin Quigley were both on the mark late on for Warriors but Noel and Faapito hit three from four from the line to see the hosts 26-25 up at the end of the first.
Padraig Fleming made an instant impact for Warriors in the second striking for a hattrick from the paint but at the other end Obinna Anthony Agu added from either side of the arc and the free throw line to level the contest at 33-33. Iggy Hunte then lit up to fire on a hattrick of his own to give the Warriors a narrow lead but major scores from Etyle-Rock and Christian Williams had the home side back in front midway through the quarter. Jordan Perkins then chose his moment to shoot his way into the game with a treble to wrestle the lead back for Warriors and when Hunte also finished at the Sligo board the gap was briefly out to five. Two late strikes from outside the arc from Faapito and Daniel O’Meara had the home crowd on their feet as Sligo took a 47-46 lead to the long break.
The Warriors quickly regained the advantage early in the third with Perkins hitting for two majors, Hunte flawless from two trips to the line and a step to the basket from Quigley putting the visitors 59-55 up. Sligo’s firepower was coming from Williams, Faapito and Etyle-Rock and when Agu and Etyle-Rock knocked down a three each Sligo went 61-59 up. Olaf Michalczuk opened his account in style with a major and minor score but Noel replied with his fourth three pointer of the game and when Williams followed his lead the hosts were still a single score ahead. However Perkins has the last say in the quarter stylishly firing down two cracking three pointers to see the Warriors 73-71 up going into the final quarter.
Jazere Noel continued to add to his and Sligo’s tally early in the fourth with scores from inside and out but at the other end the Warriors launched a quick volley of scores to spread the game for the first time with Perkins knocking in his fifth three, Hunte and Quigley adding from inside and Hunte and Cian Sullivan perfect from the line the gap was suddenly out to 85-76 with 4’00’’ on the clock. Sligo’s response to the onslaught was to reply with one of their own and Etyle-Rock shooting four in a row with another from Williams cutting the lead to a single point. Perkins weaved his way to the Sligo board with 0’57’’ on the clock and when Jokubaitis negated a major from Williams with one of his own the Warriors looked the more likely to prevail. However Sligo struck late through Toluogunkoya but that too was countered by Perkins to keep the visitors in front with just seconds left. A late turnover by Warriors with the final play of the game forced a foul allowing Christian Williams to swish two clutch free throws to seal a smash and grab win for Sligo by 94-93 in the end.
Scorers:
EJ Sligo All Stars: Ryell Rodney Etyle-Rock 26, Jazere Noel 19, Christian Williams 17
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Jordan Perkins 26, Iggy Hunte 23, Daniel Jokubaitis 16
Next up for the Warriors is a home game against Killester at the Kerry Sports Academy on Saturday with tip off at 7.00pm. It will be the first of two meetings between the sides at the venue as two weeks later on Saturday 6th December the Warriors will host the defending Cup champions in a winner takes all National Cup quarter final.