Basketball Ireland Mens Super League Quarter Final
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 102
UCD Marian 80
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors are through to the semi-final of the Dominos Mens Super League after safely negotiating their way past UCD Marian at the Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh Sports Hall at the Kerry Sports Academy on Saturday evening. With six players scoring in double digits, the sheer weight of the offensive threat from the Warriors proved too much for Marian as the Tralee side booked their place in the last four of the competition with a 102-80 win. The Warriors will now take on UCC Demons in Cork next weekend as the Cork college side edged a thrilling Leeside derby overcoming Energywise Ireland Neptune by 100-93 on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan Leonard opened the bidding with a major score for Warriors but Jonathan Jean quickly replied in kind for the visitors before Brandon Mahan and Mark Stephens were in range either side of a Daniel Jokubaitis trademark three to see the Warriors lead 10-5 midway through the quarter. But Marian responded with a three from their big Eoin Nelson and when Lovre Tvrdic and Jean combined, the Dublin college side edged 15-14 ahead at quarter time.
The Warriors took the lead early in the second with a tough finish from Josh Osayanrhion followed by a major from Mahan but Marian struck back with a Tvrdic double and new signing Bryce Fitzgerald adding from either side of the arc to see the visitors go 24-19 up. The Warriors hit back with an impressive run as they locked Marian up defensively and launched a 15 point volley with Mahan, Jokubaitis, Osayanrhion, Stephens and Greg Adon all on target to put the hosts 34-24 ahead. Jean and Oscar Blanco cut the advantage with a three point score each but Leonard and Mahan both slalomed their way to the Marian board late on helping the Warriors to a 38-34 lead at half time.
Marian enjoyed their best spell in the game early in the third when Tvrdic managed to break the Warriors cover to hit a quickfire seven points and despite a three from Adon and 4 points from Leonard, a double from Nelson helped the Dublin side turn the halftime deficit into a two point lead midway through the quarter. With the game very much in the balance, it was the Warriors that made the decisive move sparked by Jokubaitis with a stunning three that kickstarted a 20 point salvo that completely spread the game. The hosts found scores as they pleased with Adon, Leonard, Mahan, Stephens and Rap Buivydas all on target with Marian only managing to punctuate the blitz with scores from Jean, Tvrdic and Blanco but at three quarter time the Warriors were 66-57 to the good heading into the final quarter.
Jokubaitis knocked down his third three of the game and a determined effort from Buivydas at the Marian board gave the Warriors a double digit lead early in the fourth but Marian replied through Tvrdic, Nelson and Blanco to keep their hosts within striking distance. However Marian were struggling to contain Warriors offensive threat and their fouls were punished ruthlessly by Leonard, Adon, Stephens and Buivydas to help the Tralee side to go 81-65 up. Jean and Cian Tiernan found the Warriors net from distance but the Warriors finished with a flourish with three point efforts from Adon, Jokubaitis with his fourth and Keelan Crowe hitting the Warriors last score of the game much to the delight of the big home crowd to seal the 102-80 win in the end.
Scorers:
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Daniel Jokubaitis 20, Mark Stephens 15, Virgin Media MVP Brandon Mahan 15
UCD Marian: Jonathan Jean 27, Lovre Tvrdic 23, Oscar Blanco 11
Thanks to Liam Ryan for the images.