Alan Cantwell on the Garveys Tralee Warriors U23s Basketball Ireland Development League – Round 1 game and the Mens National League – Round 1 game at the weekend…

Clare Cascaders 58

Tralee Warriors 105

Tralee Warriors BIDL Squad ahead of their 105-58 win over Clare Cascaders in Ennistymon on Saturday night.

Tralee Warriors got their Basketball Ireland Development League campaign off to an impressive start last night with a big win over Clare Cascaders in Ennistymon.

The Warriors featuring a number of their Senior squad both past and present were simply too strong for the Clare outfit and led throughout the contest.

Continued below…

The Warriors got off to a flying start with Olaf Michalczuk, Zigi Kaletka, James Fernane, Brian O’Leary and Aaron Fleming all in range from either side of the arc to see them lead 17-4 midway through the first.

James Leigh and Rory Lindane kept the hosts in touch but the Warriors finished the quarter the stronger with two threes from O’Leary and one from Aaron Fleming giving the visitors a 29-13 quarter time lead.

The Warriors scoring rate dropped in the second allowing the hosts to eat into the quarter time lead through Ciaran Harrington, Killian Devitt and Danny Lavander. However scores from Fernane, Fleming, Michalczuk and Dan Bowler kept the Warriors well in front at 46-34 up at the long break.

The third quarter proved to be the decisive for the Warriors as they simply blitzed the Clare board with scores coming from all angles effectively settling the contest.

Padraig and Aaron Fleming, Michalczuk, O’Leary, Kaletka, Bowler and Jack Tobin all found the Cascaders basket and despite resistance in the form of scores from Harrington and Lindane, the Warriors took a game winning 85-44 lead into the final quarter.

The Warriors saw out the win in style in the final quarter with a sustained offensive effort building on the three quarter time lead.

The Cascaders chipped away with scores from Leigh, Lindane, Harrington and Tom Kinch but Warriors captain Daire Kennelly, Adam O’Keeffe, Fernane, Bowler and the Fleming brothers Padraig and Aaron helped themselves to baskets to seal an impressive 105-58 win in the end.

Scorers:

Clare Cascaders: James Leigh 13, Ciaran Harrington 12, Rory Lindane 11

Tralee Warriors: Olaf Michalczuk 22, Aaron Fleming 18, Brian O’Leary 14

Next up for the Warriors is a home date against Tipperary Talons in Mercy Mounthawk Gym on Sunday 19th November with tip off at 7.00pm.

U20s Mens National League – Round 1

Killorglin 43

Tralee Warriors 120

Tralee Warriors began their defence with an emphatic win over local rivals Killorglin on Sunday evening.

The Warriors simply dominated and controlled the game from start to finish with posting 30 plus points in both the first and third quarters giving an indication of their scoring rate that saw them end up with 120 points on the board.

The Warriors stunned their hosts with Evan Boyle firing in three three-pointers in the first two minutes to set the tone for what was to come.

The scores came thick and fast for the Warriors with Joshua Osayanrhion, Donal O’Sullivan and Eoin Creedon all in range. Killorglin responded with a handful of scores from Tommy and Fionn O’Sullivan but was no answer to the Warriors scoring spree and the visitors led 32-8 at quarter time.

Eddie Sheehy with a double and threes from Olaf Michalczuk and Brian O’Leary pushed the Warriors further ahead early in the second.

Tommy O’Sullivan continued to chip in scores for Killorglin but when Osayanrhion, Sheehy, Creedon and Gary Lynch all took their chances the Warriors had a commanding 61-20 lead at half time.

The Warriors high scoring rate continued in the third and they were able to get their scores as they pleased. Four threes from Boyle, Lynch and two from Michalczuk set the trend and when Osayanrhion added another and Brian O’Leary add two the contest was all but settled.

Tommy and Fionn O’Sullivan to their credit kept plugging away with scores for Killorglin but the Warriors had amassed 32 points in the quarter to lead 93-32 at the end of the third.

The final quarter saw Eoin Creedon in fine form with scores from inside and out and when Phoenix Costello and Andrew Wallace also added the scoreboard continued to tick over. Tony Duffy and Tommy O’Sullvan were again in range for Killorglin but as the clock ticked down the game ended as it started with a Warriors three pointer, this time for Gary Lynch to end the contest with a final scoreline of 120-43.

Scorers:

Killorglin: Tommy O’Sullivan 17, Fionn O’Sullivan 12, Tony Duffy 8

Tralee Warriors: Joshua Osayanrhion 19, Evan Boyle 17, Olaf Michalczuk 16

Next up for the Warriors is a home date against Blue Demons at the Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday 25th November with tip off at 7.30pm.

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