Back to back for The Address UCC Glanmire
For the second year in succession The Address UCC Glanmire have been crowned MissQuote.ie Super League champions.
Mark Scannell’s side continued a brilliant regular season run by beating Ulster University 90-67 on Sunday to keep hold of the trophy.
Khiarica Rasheed and Brittany Byrd combined for 42 points, including 7 of the opening 14 points that put the game almost out of sight within five minutes of play. Ulster University showed their grit despite being down by 18 points after one, Irish underage international Maria Kealy their standout performer.
Reflecting on their achievement afterwards, The Address UCC Glanmire head coach Mark Scannell said: “We’ve just won a very tough league. At the start of the season, we wouldn’t have expected this. Losing a couple of games to Trinity (Meteors) earlier in the season was really tough at the time, but I think it hardened the team and we went back to the drawing board.
“The effort and endeavour this group have put in over the last six months has been phenomenal. Today they got their reward,” he added.
Elsewhere Trinity Meteors ended their recent run of poor form against i3PT Fr. Mathews all but ending the Cork team’s chance to make the Champions Trophy.
Trinity led from pillar to post in a 66-60 win and while never pulling away fully, the victory will do much to restore confidence in the ranks. Shannon Brady put in a magnificent shooting performance to register 28 points for the Cork team on the day.
Singleton SuperValu Brunell look to be Trinity Meteor’s final challengers for the last spot. Liam Culloty’s side narrowly defeated Waterford Wildcats 75-72 on Sunday afternoon. Akilah Bethel took on the scoring load from Edel Thornton, amassing 26 points, but it was free-throws in the closing minutes from Lauryn Homan and Danielle O’Leary that put the finishing touches to the win.
Men’s Super League
It’s as you were in the InsureMyVan.ie Super League Southern Conference playoff race, as Energywise Ireland Neptune, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors and Emporium Cork Basketball all claimed valuable wins to keep one game between them in the standings.
Emporium Cork Basketball took care of business first, rallying from a halftime deficit to defeat Northern Conference playoff chasing EJ Sligo All-Stars, 91-67. John Dawson had 28 points and Jose Gonzales 27 in a must win game for the home side. Shane O’Meara’s All-Stars remain in the final playoff place with two regular season games to go.
Tarkus Ferguson, Jordan Blount and Cian Heaphy all reached double digits for Energywise Ireland Neptune in their 72-65 win over Northern Conference-leading Belfast Star. The win solidifies their third spot in the Southern Conference table, maintaining a one win advantage over their rivals. The loss sees Belfast Star slip to 12-5, but their playoff position is firmly secure at this stage.
UCC Demons are arguably the most in-form team in Irish basketball. Danny O’Mahony’s charges scored 56 points in the opening half of a 92-75 win against Bright St Vincents. Tala Fam Thiam had his best performance of the season, scoring 27 points for the hosts, who dominated the boards throughout the second and third quarter to pull away from the North Dublin team. Demons lie second in the Southern Conference currently.