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Alan Cantwell on Garvey’s Tralee Warriors win in Dublin at the weekend…
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 82
Griffith College Templeogue 81
Action from the game. Photo by Liam Ryan
Warriors moved to the top of the Super League table outright with an inspirational comeback win against their great rivals and recently crowned Cup champions Griffith College Templeogue in a pulsating encounter at the Nord Anglia International School in Leopardstown on Saturday night.
The Warriors trailed by 12 at quarter time and 11 at half time but produced one of their now trademark comebacks against the odds to secure yet another win, their fifth in a row, against Templeogue.
If that wasn’t enough results elsewhere on an extraordinary night of League action saw two of their serious League title rivals both beaten after overtime – DBS Éanna going down to Neptune in Cork and Belfast turned over by Moycullen in Galway.
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The Warriors were first into gear with Eoin Quigley knocking down two early free throws and when Jon Lawton fired on a three and Daniel Jokubaitis opened his account the League champions were 7-0 up.
Templeogue then sparked into action with their big players Jason Killeen, Lorcan Murphy and Neil Randolph combining to push the Cup champions 14-11 ahead.
Andre Berry forced his way into the contest with back-to-back scores but threes from Xavier Arriata, Randolph and Vladimir Tokishin saw the Cup champions lead 29-17 at quarter time.
The second quarter saw Jason Killeen knocking down four in a row for Templeogue while the Warriors replied with scores from Paul Dick, Andre Berry, Ivan Bogdanovic and a three from Kieran Donaghy.
Action from the game. Photo by Liam Ryan
Lorcan Murphy took flight with two scores and Darren Townes added another for Templeogue but the Warriors stayed just about in touch with two from the line from Ivan Bogdanovic and a score from Paul Dick to see Templeogue lead 44-33 at half time.
At the half time break it is certain that Pat Price and his coaching team would have impressed on the Warriors that they were facing into a season defining half of basketball.
They needed a fast start early in the third and they got it courtesy of scores from inside and out from Eoin Quigley and one each from Jon Lawton and Bogdanovic.
However the hosts maintained their lead with threes from Randolph and Stephen James and two from the line from Killeen.
Jokubaitis and Paul Dick added for the Warriors before Vladimir Tokishin and Murphy fired in to see Templeogue lead 57-50.
The Warriors then embarked on a run that saw Daniel Jokubaitis arc in two sensational threes either side of efforts from Bogdanovic, Lawton, Berry and Quigley and suddenly the League champions took the lead for the first time since the opening minutes.
Action from the game. Photo by Liam Ryan
However some Warriors indiscipline late in the quarter threatened to derail all their good work when Templeogue hit an impressive 9 from 9 from the free throw line but Jokubaitis had the last say in the quarter with another stunning three pointer on the buzzer to leave the sides level at 68-68 heading for home.
The Warriors seized the initiative in the final quarter and fired their way to a 10 point lead through Berry, Bogdanovic and Paul Dick who was now conducting affairs from point guard.
Killeen was again on the mark for Templeogue from inside and when Arriga added the gap was down to 3, but a trip to the free throw line saw Paul Dick push the Warriors lead out to 5.
Darren Townes got a second rebound effort from inside as the Red Army and Warriors faithful were on their feet and Stephen James gave the hosts a chance to win it when he closed the gap to a single point, but the Warriors stood tall and defended for their lives to repel Templeogue’s final offensive effort to seal what could yet prove to be a League campaign defining win for the defending champions.
Scorers:
Warriors – Paul Dick 17, Ivan Bogdanovic 16, Andre Berry 14
Templeogue – Lorcan Murphy 22, Jason Killeen 16, Neil Randolph 13
• Next up for the Warriors is a meeting with Pyrobel Killester at the Tralee Sport Complex next Saturday night. Tip off as usual is at 7.30pm.
