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Alan Cantwell reports on the InsureMyVan.ie Men’s Super League 2023/2024 – Round 12 game at the Complex on Friday night…
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 90
UCC Demons 84
Jarvis Doles dunks a score as the Demons defence look on. Photo by Liam Ryan
Just six days after their heartbreaking defeat to Ballincollig in the National Cup semi-final, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors produced one of the great comebacks by turning around a 26 point deficit to fire their way a stunning 90-84 win over UCC Demons in front of a packed Tralee Sports Complex on Friday night.
The significance of the Warriors is underlined by the fact that they suited up without the services of arguably their best player this season in Ryan Leonard who watched from the bench with his knee in a brace after suffering an injury in Cork last weekend.
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Buoyed by the incredible Warriors support, John Dowling’s charges summoned something from beyond themselves to dismantle the huge Demons lead to turn the contest around, take the win and secure top spot in the Southern Conference with a 9-3 record.
The Warriors were rocked early on when Demons, who take on Ballincollig in the National Cup final next Saturday, looked to blow the doors off the Complex with a devastating opening quarter that yielded them 32 points.
Rap Buivydas fires in basket over Tala Fam Thiam. Photo by Liam Ryan
The Cup finalists took full advantage of an uncharacteristically disjointed Warriors side that allowed the Leesiders fire their way to a 9-0 lead through James Beckom, Tala Fam Thiam and the imposing Elijah Tillman.
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Jarvis Doles opened his and the Warriors account and Daniel Jokubaitis arced in a three but Demons lit up to hit the next 10 points in a row with Seventh Woods and James Hannigan both on the mark from beyond the arc.
Rap Buivydas evades Carlton Cuff to lay up a score. Photo by Liam Ryan
It got worse for Warriors with another run from Demons shooting the next 13 points in a row through Woods, David Lehane, Kyle Hosford and Tillman to see them lead 32-11 at quarter time.
Two early threes in the second quarter from Caleb Jordan and Eoin Quigley steadied the Warriors ship but a double from Beckom kept Demons well ahead and when Tillman, Woods and James Hannigan’s three from three from the line the Cork side spread the game to lead by 26 points.
The Warriors hopes were now thread bare as they scrambled for some sort of rhythm and range and it was Virgin Media MVP Kieran Donaghy that fired in a score that seemed to herald the start of an unlikely comeback.
Jarvis Doles at full stretch to lay up another basket. Photo by Liam Ryan
Tillman and Lehane kept the pressure on for Demons but a late run from the hosts yielded 13 points from Jokubaitis and Doles from inside, outside and the line to cut the half time lead to a marginally more manageable 57-43.
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An inspired third quarter from the Warriors, with the huge Complex crowd sensing that their side were finally getting to grips with Demons, saw them outscore the visitors by 23-13 to pare away the sizable lead to trail by just 4 points at the end of the quarter.
As Donaghy continued to heroically defend the Warriors board, the shooters found their range at the other end through the outstanding Rap Buivydas, Jokubaitis, Doles, Jordan and Quigley.
Daniel Jokubaitis with a trademark three point score. Photo by Liam Ryan
The visitors’ scoring dried up at the other end and despite efforts from Beckom, Woods, Tillman and Lehane they failed to build any real momentum.
The Warriors finished the quarter as they started it with scores from Buivydas and Quigley cutting the lead to 70-66 at three quarter time.
An early double from Tala Fam Thiam gave Demons the early initiative in the fourth but when Jokubaitis fired in a trademark three the Complex was well and truly rocking and the atmosphere built to fever pitch when Doles, Quigley and Buivydas combined to see the hosts take the lead for the first time in the game at 75-74.
Seventh Woods added again for Demons before Thiam arced in to level with three minutes on the clock but Jarvis Doles had the Warriors fans in full voice with a huge three to wrestle back the lead.
Eoin Quigley about to fire in a basket despite the efforts of James Beckom. Photo by Liam Ryan
Rap Buivydas then produced what was the killer score when he planted his feet to fire down a stunning major score with just a minute on the clock.
Lehane quickly replied in kind for Demons but Doles, Quigley and Jordan together added 4 from 6 from the line to complete an extraordinary comeback and send out a clear message to the League rivals that the Warriors focus is now well and truly on a run to the League playoffs in March and April.
Scorers:
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Daniel Jokubaitis 21, Eoin Quigley 18, Rap Buivydas 17
UCC Demons: Seventh Woods 19, Elijah Tillman 17, David Lehane 13
The win sees Warriors top of the Southern Conference on 27 points, one win ahead of closest rivals Ballincollig who face a tough trip to Killorglin on Saturday evening ahead of facing down Demons in an all Cork National Cup final at HQ last weekend.
UCC Demons now find themselves in deep trouble with just three wins in the League and facing a relegation battle with Moycullen and Killorglin with two teams facing the trapdoor down to National League.
For the Warriors the outlook is far brighter with the hope of a home quarter final and potential semi final now very much on the table. They have next weekend off before a tricky away date with Éanna ahead of a revenge mission at home against local rivals Flexachem KCYMS at the Complex on Sunday 4th February.
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