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Rap Buivydas on the mark again. Photo by Liam Ryan
Alan Cantwell reports on the InsureMyVan.ie Men’s Super League 2023/2024 – Round 4 game at the Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday…
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 96
Bright St. Vincent’s 70
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors made it three wins from three at home, and three from four overall, after a comfortable 96-70 win over Bright St. Vincent’s at the Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday night.
The Warriors led at the end of all four quarters and after a fast start they never looked back with a dominant display throughout.
Daniel Jokuabitis set the tone from the off and with his first touch he had no hesitation landing his and the Warriors opening score with a trademark three.
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By the time he did it again two minutes later Johnny Williams and Jarvis Doles had also added from inside and Rap Buivydas fired in the third three of the quarter to see the hosts lead 14-2 midway through the quarter.
Saint’s resistance came in the form of a solitary score from Jacobi Gordon. Ryan Leonard and Eoin Quigley then got in on the act with three pointers each and despite scores from Sanantonio Brinson, Gordon and Roosevelt Davis the Warriors were in range again through Buivydas and Cian O’Sullivan to lead 26-11 at the end of the first.
Daniel Jokubaitis hooks in a score over Kevin Anyanwu. Photo by Liam Ryan
The game threatened to get away from the visitors early in the second when Leonard, Jokubaitis and O’Sullivan pushed Warriors out to double scores but Saints clawed their way back into the contest through Kevin Anyanwu, Brinson and Gordon.
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However the Saints had no answer to the combination play of the Warriors in the paint and Buivydas with two, Quigley with two and Kieran Donaghy piled on the pressure on the visitors and when Eddie Sheehy hit his first score and Leonard followed suit the Warriors to a 21 point lead to the long break.
Kevin Anyanwu hit 39 points last week against Sligo and looked like he was going to try and chase down that total again as he hit a quick fire 9 early in the third.
Ryan Leonard knocks down a corner three. Photo by Liam Ryan
However Leonard replied by nailing a cracking effort from beyond the arc and when Jokubaitis hit two major scores to keep the Warriors 25 ahead.
Foul trouble for the Warriors allowed Saints some quick and easy points through Eoin McCann, Anyanwu and Gordon but Williams and Doles restored the significant advantage with a floated effort apiece.
Josh Marvesely hit a three to see Saints hit the 50 point mark but Williams and Doles took full value from the line to see the Warriors take a 20 point lead into the final quarter.
The Warriors came out firing in the fourth and looked determined to put the contest to bed long before the final buzzer with an 8 point volley from Doles before Williams and Jokubaitis added to widen the gap to 31.
Cian O’Sullivan finishes under the board. Photo by Liam Ryan
Saints only return was through their sharpshooter Anyanwu and from free throws but O’Sullivan, Donaghy and Buivydas continued their dominance under the Vincent’s board with a score each.
Saints captain Charlie Coombes and Denzel Ebose with threes gave the scoreline added respectability but both Zigi Kaletka and Olaf Michalczuk added their names to the scoresheets late on to see the Warriors run out 96-70 winners in the end.
Bright St. Vincent’s could return to the Complex at the start of December for a National Cup quarter final if the Warriors can negotiate a way past EJ Sligo AllStars at home in the first round on Saturday week.
Johnny Williams gets his shot away. Photo by Liam Ryan
However, based on Saturday night’s evidence, the Dublin side will need to improve considerably if they intend to upset either Sligo or the Warriors in the last eight of the Cup.
Scorers:
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Daniel Jokubaitis 19, Rap Buivydas 15, Jarvis Doles 14
Bright St. Vincent’s: Kevin Anyanwu 25, Jacobi Gordon 15, Sanantonio Brinson and Roosevelt Davis with 7 each
• Next up for the Warriors is an away date with keen local arch rivals Flexachem KCYMS at the Killorglin Sports & Leisure Centre.
Games between the sides whether in Tralee or Killorglin are always great spectacles and have never disappointed in terms of quality and drama and next weekend promises to be no different. Tip off next Saturday evening at the Killorglin Sports & Leisure Centre is 7.15pm.
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