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Alan Cantwell reports on the InsureMyVan.ie Men’s Super League 2023/2024 – Round 18 game at the weekend…
Killester 90
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 76
Elijah Weaver hooks in a score. Photo by Liam Ryan
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors are certain to finish the regulation season in third place in the Southern Conference after a 90-76 defeat to Killester in the IWA in Clontarf on Saturday allied to Ballincollig’s win away to Ulster University confirmed their final standing with one game remaining to be played, away to Moycullen next Saturday.
The Warriors will face either Éanna or Killster away in the Super League playoff on the weekend of the 23rd/24th March depending on the Dublin sides’ respective results in the final round of games this weekend.
Killester made the most of home advantage on Saturday and had the better of the early exchanges despite Caleb Jordan and Elijah Weaver shooting the Warriors ahead they eased to an 11-5 lead with Kason Harrell, Paul Dick and Troy Simons on the mark.
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Jordan, Eoin Quigley and Joshua Osayanrhion combined to cut the gap but Ciaran Roe took aim to nail three threes in a row to push the advantage out to 22-11.
A double from distance from Daniel Jokubaitis and a mid range effort from Weaver closed the gap but a major effort from Harrell saw the hosts lead 27-20 at the end of the first.
Daniel Jokubaitis lands a score off the fingertips. Photo by Liam Ryan
Killester were finding their scores easier to come by and both Simons and Yanis Lahgazi were on target from beyond the arc early in the second quarter but Weaver hit back with a hat-trick of scores to keep the Warriors in touch.
Gregorio Adon then lit up for the hosts with a quickfire 7 points but that prompted Jokubaitis, Jordan and Weaver to queue up and land a major score one after the other to keep the Killester lead to single figures.
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Tomas Fernandez replied with a double and yet another score from Harrell saw Killester take a 53-39 lead to the halftime break.
The third quarter saw the Warriors embark on an impressive run to play their way right back into the contest by outscoring Killester 19-12.
Joshua Osayanrhion gets a tough shot away. Photo by Liam Ryan
Kason Harrell was the sole scorer for Killester in the quarter but the Warriors founds their baskets courtesy of Cian Sullivan, doubles from Weaver and Osayanrhion and two signature threes from Jokubaitis to pare back the hosts lead to 65-58 at the end of the third.
Elijah Weaver provided the Warriors with the best possible start to the fourth with an and-one score cutting the advantage to 65-61.
Cian Sullivan scores from mid range. Photo by Liam Ryan
However that was as good as it got for John Dowling’s side as Killester regrouped and fired their way to a 12 point lead through Adon and former Warrior Paul Dick and when Harrell and Simons both got good looks from distance the lead blew out to 17.
The Warriors scoring was by now too sporadic to launch a meaningful run but baskets from Weaver and Jordan kept Killester honest to the end. As the clock ticked down, two more major scores from Simons and two free throws from the irrepressible Kason Harrell saw the Dublin side home by 90-76 in the end.
Joshua Osayanrhion adds a basket from close range. Photo by Liam Ryan
Scorers – Killester: Kason Harrell 30, Troy Simons 23, Gregorio Adon 11
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Elijah Weaver 28, Daniel Jokubaitis 16, Caleb Jordan 12
Eoin Quigley one handed lay up. Photo by Liam Ryan
• Next up for the Warriors is the final round game in the regulation season when they travel to Galway to take on Moycullen in the Kingfisher Arena on Saturday next at 7.30pm.
The outcome of the game will have no bearing on the final placings in the South Conference with the Warriors already assured of a playoff quarter final away to either Éanna or Killester.
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