MAREE were today crowned Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One Regular Season champions for the second year in a row with a win over Ulster University Elks in Oranmore.
In an extremely close and competitive game, it took Maree until the fourth quarter to put some breathing space between the two sides, with momentum swinging from end to end throughout the game. Good scoring from Kenneth Hansberry and Eoin Rockall sealed the deal in the end for the Galway side, and Maree were crowned champions.
“It feels brilliant. We had a really tough game today, Ulster Elks are a really good team and they really put it up to us,” said a thrilled Head Coach, John Finn. “We were nine points down going into the fourth quarter and played really well to win the game so we’re delighted. I felt that if we could play to our ability we could win, but it wasn’t until the fourth quarter that we played the way we can play.”
Over in the Men’s Super League meanwhile, UCC Demons won out in a nail-biter against Belfast Star in the Mardyke this afternoon, winning out by two in the end, while there were wins for Griffith Swords Thunder, UCD Marian, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, Commercial.ie Éanna and Pyrobel Killester in the final games of the regular season.
In the Women’s Super League meanwhile, Pyrobel Killester drove home to glory against NUIG Mystics on Saturday to earn the final spot in the Women’s Super League top four semi-finals next weekend in WIT Arena where they will face top seed, Ambassador UCC Glanmire. The other game in the WSL play off semi-finals next Saturday sees DCU Mercy and Courtyard Liffey Celtics do battle for glory in a repeat of this year’s Hula Hoops Cup semi-final.
Earlier today, Singleton SuperValu Brunell finished their regular season on a high overcoming Maxol WIT Wildcats in Cork, while just four points separated DCU Mercy and Portlaoise Panthers in the University today, with DCU managing to hold on for the win, 68-64.
Basketball Ireland Results March 18-19th
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League
- Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 83-53 Radisson Blu UL Eagles
- Commercial.ie Éanna 89-74 KUBS BC
- Griffith Swords Thunder 84-56Templeogue
- DCU Saints 62-83 Pyrobel Killester
- SSE Airtricity Moycullen 79-83 UCD Marian
- UCC Demons 93-91 Belfast Star
Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League
- NUIG Mystics 56-79 Pyrobel Killester
- Singleton SuperValu Brunell 58-52 Maxol WIT Wildcats
- DCU Mercy 68-64 Portlaoise Panthers
Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One
Place 1-4 Classification (Day 1)
- Maree 79-57 Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin
- BFG Neptune 93-97 Ulster University Elks
Place 1-4 Classification (Day 2)
- Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin 89-98 BFG Neptune
- Maree 81-70 Ulster University Elks
Place 5-8 Classification (Day 1)
- Kestrels 107-63 LYIT Donegal
- Ej Sligo All Stars 63-71 Team Kilkenny
Place 5-8 Classification (Day 2)
- Ej Sligo All Stars 95-70 Titans
- Kestrels 54-71 Team Kilkenny
Place 9-12 Classification (Day 1)
- Dublin Lions 75-76 ITC Basketball
- Fr Mathews 108-70 Titans
Place 9-12 Classification (Day 2)
- Dublin Lions 88-77 Titans
- ITC Basketball v Fr Mathews (postponed)
Basketball Ireland Women’s Division 1
- UL Huskies 57-48 ITC Basketball
