Dominos Mens Super League R14
Belfast Star 84
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 78
As many teams have discovered this season, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors found Belfast Star too hot to handle at home as they went down to the League leaders by 84-78 at the Newforge Sports Centre on Sunday. Belfast backed up their win over Flexachem KCYMS on Saturday night to make it a double over Kerry teams this weekend and bring their League record to 13-3. The Warriors fought bravely right to the final buzzer but Belfast’s game management and score getting late on was ultimately the difference between the sides.
The Warriors started brightly, and despite Daniel Jokubaitis sitting out the game through injury, Olaf Michalczuk landed his first two scores from either side of the arc, a score from Iggy Hunte and a major effort from Steven Bowler helped the Warriors to an early 10-5 lead. Aidan Quinn was also in range early from outside for the hosts and when American Shane Bell and Roger Wilson combined the Warriors advantage was cut to a single point midway through. Bell and Wilson were on the mark again soon after but Warriors finished the quarter in style with scores coming from all angles beginning with James Fernane from distance and Hunte, Jordan Perkins and Cian Sullivan joining in to help the visitors to a 25-15 lead at the end of the first.
Warriors captain Eoin Quigley pushed the lead out to 12 with the first score of the second but Bell negated that with a two point jumper and former Warrior Rap Buivydas then hit a quickfire 6 to halve the gap to 27-21. Hunte and Steve Bowler continued to keep Warriors lead inact but Wilson, Buivydas and Aidan Quinn with a fast break effort reeled the visitors back to lead by 4. Belfast then asserted midway through the period with Max Richardson knocking down a three before he and Conor Ryan took full value from the line to give Star a 5 point lead. However, Hunte and Perkins kept the Warriors right on Belfast’s heels with a late 5 point volley to pare the Belfast lead back to 38-36 at half time.
Jordan Perkins gave the Warriors the perfect start to the third with a gem from beyond the arc to edge the visitors ahead but Belfast struck back with interest when Richardson followed Perkins’ lead and scores from Wilson, Bell and a 6 point volley from Buivydas quickly put 10 between the teams. The Warriors to their credit hit the next 13 points with Perkins, Hunte, Keelan Crowe and Dan Bowler with a cracking three pointer edging the Warriors ahead with 2’00’’ on the clock. Conor Quinn hit back in kind with a typical major effort but James Fernane trumped that with a belter from the corner to give the Warriors a 58-57 lead going into the final quarter.
In a hugely entertaining final quarter the sides turned the contest into a 10 minute shootout with every score countered at the other end. Wilson, Bell and Buivydas slated 15 points for Belfast while Hunte, Perkins and Steven Bowler added 10 to the Warriors scoreline but still trailed 72-68 midway through the quarter. A pull up two from Perkins and a three from Quigley cut the gap to a single score but Belfast through Bell, Conor Ryan and Wilson kept 5 between the teams with 3’00’’ on the clock. Foul trouble caught up with Warriors as they desperately tried to find the game changing scores and the hosts took full value for three trips to the free throw line with the Quinn brothers Aidan and Conor flawless from their six attempts. Hunte hit a big three in the final minute to ensure the game went the distance and despite a late, late basket from Perkins, Belfast held on for the win as the Warriors, for the moment, cling onto 7th place on the table as the playoff race ratchets up another gear.
Scorers:
Belfast Star: Shane Bell 23, Roger Wilson 16, Rap Buivydas 14
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Jordan Perkins 22, Iggy Hunte 21, Eoin Quigley 7, James Fernane 7
Next up for Warriors is a trip to Dublin next weekend to take on St. Vincents who will be backing up from defeats last weekend to EJ Sligo All Stars at home and away to Flexachem KCYMS. Tip off at St. Vincent’s in Glasnevin on Saturday night is 7.30pm.