Basketball Ireland Mens Super League Round 23
Griffith College Éanna 98
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 85
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors hopes of securing a top-two finish in the Super League were dealt a near fatal blow when they suffered a 98-85 loss to Griffith College Éanna in Colaiste Éanna on Saturday night. It is now almost certain that the Warriors will finish either third or fourth and have a home quarter final but will be away for the League semi-final if they get that far.
The Warriors started with real intent with Daniel Jokubaitis knocking down the opening score from distance and Ryan Leonard and Mark Stephens quickly following up from inside. Éanna replied with interest through Kristijan Andabaka with two majors and another from Tyland Crawford to help the hosts to a 15-9 lead. Josh Osayanrhion was sprung from the Warriors bench and duly landed a double from beyond the arc but Andabaka, Josh Wilson and Neil Lynch all hit from outside to help Éanna to a build 28-21 lead at quarter time.
The Warriors tightened up the lanes to deny Éanna access and limited them to two Mark Reynolds baskets early in the second. At the other end shots began landing for the visitors and Jokubaitis lit up to hit a cracking hat trick to level the game at 33-33 midway through the quarter. Keelan Crowe made an impressive entrance with identical finishes at the Éanna board and when Leonard followed Jokubaitis’ lead to drill three threes in a row the Warriors led 46-40. However Éanna had the last say in the half when Sean Jenkins and Crawford hit nothing but net from outside to level the contest at 48-48 at half time.
Éanna seized the initiative early in the third with threes from Crawford, Lynch and Jenkins putting 7 between the sides. Rap Buivydas, Leonard and Stephens combined to keep the hosts in check but Éanna then limited the Warriors to a single major score from Stephens for the remainder of the quarter. Andabake, Crawford and Jenkins were all flawless from the line and in the dying seconds a decisive strike from beyond the arc from Crawford gave the Warriors 71-60 lead to chase down in the final quarter.
The hosts maintained the double digit advantage as the sides went score for score in the final quarter and midway through the gap was still sizable at 85-72. Crucially for the Warriors, they could not make any inroads into the Éanna lead, while Andabaka who was elusive all night fired in a score that Mark Reynolds followed with a corner three to spread the game with the hosts leading by 94-77. The Warriors chased the lead to the final moments of the game and despite Cian Sullivan with two and another Jokubaitis three, Éanna’s Cathal O’Sullivan had the honour of landing the final score of the game and seal the win for the defending champions by 98-85 and keep their hopes for a top two finish alive.
Scorers:
Griffith College Éanna: Tyland Crawford 28, Kristijan Andabaka 19, Sean Jenkins 18
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Mark Stephens 20, Daniel Jokubaitis 20, Ryan Leonard 17