Basketball Ireland Development League – Semi Final
Tralee Warriors 84
Ongar Chasers 73
Tralee Warriors secured their place in the final of the Mens Basketball Ireland Development League with a win over Ongar Chasers in Moyderwell on Sunday night. The Warriors led throughout and always had the Dublin side in check, winning out by 84-73 in the end. They now await the winners of the second semi-final on Thursday and the meeting of Carrick Cruisers and St. Mary’s Castleisland so an all Kerry final is still a possibility.
Both sides started well with the Warriors edging the early exchanges after Lourd Renz Valenzuela had the visitors on the board in the first play and a three from Eimantas Spudulis gave the Chasers the lead. James Fernane impressively fired down a hat trick of three pointers and when Olaf Michalczuk also struck from distance the Warriors led 18-8 but Valenzuela nailed a major score and baskets from Brady Kalemba and Matteo Fontana saw Ongar cut the advantage to 18-15 at quarter time.
David Roche and Fontana were in range for the visitors early in the second to see the Dublin outfit briefly lead but Fernane’s accuracy from distance saw him fire down another double and when Joshua Osayanrhion got in on the act with a quickfire 8 points the Warriors led 36-28. Fontana was again on the mark for Ongar from either side of the arc and a double from Henry Benson saw just a single score between the teams. However the Warriors quickly added with baskets from Dan Bowler, Osayanrhion and a three from Steven Bowler to take a 44-34 lead to the half time break.
The Warriors asserted early in the third and Osayanrhion and Padraig Fleming combined for 10 to consolidate the halftime advantage but Ongar kept the hosts in their sights through Valenzuela, Fontana, Spudulis and Kevin Shimba. Zigi Kaletka sparked another run from Warriors that saw both Michalczuk and Osayanrhion strike with a double each and suddenly the lead was out to 16 but Kalemba hit the final score of the quarter to cut the gap to 64-50 at three quarter time.
The Chasers to their credit halved the Warriors lead early in the final quarter after Osayanrhion and Kaletka added for the hosts with scores from Spudulis, Kalemba, Roche and Benson the advantage was down to 71-64 and when Elias Owie fired in either side of a Kalemba effort it was further cut to 75-70. However Steven Bowler steadied the Warriors ship with a cracking major score and with Ongar in foul trouble Fernane, Osayanrhion and Dan Bowler converted from the line to seal the 84-73 win in the end.
Scorers:
Tralee Warriors: Joshua Osayanrhion 27, James Fernane 16, Dan Bowler 12
Ongar Chasers: Brady Kalemba 18, Matteo Fontana 14, Lourd Renz Valenzuela 11
Thanks to Lam Ryan for the images
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