Basketball Ireland Mens Super League Round 11
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 80
UCC Demons 93
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors suffered a second defeat in a week at the hands of UCC Demons, the side that ended the Warriors Cup hope last weekend, going down by 93-80 to the Cork outfit at the Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday night. Taking to the court without the services of both Brandon Mahan and Daniel Jokubaitis was always going to add to the challenge of avenging the Cup defeat but that said Demons also were without Kyle Hosford and David Lehane and still managed to see out the win with the accuracy of James Hannigan from beyond the arc and the unstoppable Elijah Tillman in the paint giving Demons the edge.
In a lively and entertaining opening quarter Demons sparked up first with Pat Robinson and the Hannigans, James and Scott, giving the visitors an early lead. Warriors were back on terms when Rap Buivydas, Eoin Quigley and Steven Bowler with a double, found their range. Robinson weaved his way to the Warriors board twice before Elijah Tillman opened his account in typical style to edge Demons ahead but the Warriors levelled through James Fernane with two cracking threes and Bowler followed his lead to fire the hosts in front. But Robinson was to have the final saw in the quarter with a lay-up to level the contest at 21-21.
The Warriors took off on a run early in the second with Buivydas and Josh Osayanrhion combining for a double each to push their side 31-23 ahead. Demons replied in kind through Robinson, Toby Christensen and Scott Hannigan to level the game again midway through the quarter. Mark Stephens then landed from distance for Warriors but Robinson and Christensen were both in range to put 4 between the sides. James Fernane cut the gap to the minimum knocking down his third major of the evening but Demons still led 39-38 at half time.
Demons’ playmaker Robinson was on target from inside and out again early in the third but scores from Buivydas and Quigley saw just a single score between the teams. The Warriors wrestled the lead back when threes from Stephens and Buivydas either side of a tough finish from Greg Adon put the hosts 53-52 up. However the alarm bells started to ring for Warriors when the Demons captain for the evening James Hannigan led by example to fire his side 59-53 up with a hat trick of scores. Despite Adon cutting the advantage to the minimum with an and one and two from the line, Hannigan planted his feet to beat the buzzer with a statement major score that silenced the Complex crowd as Demons took a 63-58 lead into the final quarter.
Hannigan’s accuracy from distance was on point with a hat trick of stunning threes early in the final quarter that threatened to settle the contest with Demons suddenly 72-60 up. The Warriors scrambled to regain their composure and Buivydas and Adon combined to halve the lead but Christensen added to put double digits between the teams again. Even the ejection of the Demons dynamic guard Pat Robinson didn’t help the Warriors cause as Elijah Tillman chose his moment to step into the breach and boss the exchanges in the paint that saw him land a quickfire 10 point. The Warriors had no answer to the big forward’s threat and despite major scores from Buivydas and Adon the hosts were reeling 87-76 down as the final buzzer approached. Osayanrhion and Stephens chipped in with late consolation scores but Tillman, Christensen and MVP James Hannigan added in the dying seconds to apply some gloss to the final scoreline of 93-80.
UCC Demons: Patrick Robinson 28, Toby Christensen 18, Elijah Tillman 16
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Rap Buivydas 21, Greg Adon 18, Mark Stephens 12.
Thanks to Liam Ryan for the images.