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Alan Cantwell reports on the InsureMyVan.ie Mens Super League – Round 6 game in Belfast at the weekend…
Belfast Star 81
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 61
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors search for a win on the road this season continues after going down by 20 points to Belfast Star who remain unbeaten in both League and Cup after Round 6 of the InsureMyVan.ie Mens Super League.
To compound the loss, the Warriors injury worries were further deepened with point guard Johnny Williams joining Daniel Jokubaitis in the treatment room ahead of another tough road trip to Neptune next weekend.
Belfast Star got off to the brighter start and not surprisingly it was their top scorer Tamyrik Fields that opened their account but Ryan Leonard and Eoin Quigley replied for the Warriors to lead early on.
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A quick 8 point volley from Max Richardson including two three fired the hosts 12-4 up midway through the quarter but Quigley arced in from outside to cut the gap. However Richardson, Fields and Aidan Quinn fired three in a row for Belfast to push the lead out to 18-7.
Rap Buivydas made an immediate and impressive impact off the bench to hit from inside and out and a late fade away effort from Jarvis Doles saw the Warriors trail 22-14 at the end of the first.
Belfast pushed the lead out to 14 early in the second with Dre Jackson on the mark with three in a row and despite Cian O’Sullivan chipping in with a score the hosts led 31-17 half way through the quarter.
But Warriors responded well with Leonard from either side of the arc, Doles and Buivydas helping to pare the Belfast lead down to 5.
Jackson produced a trademark floated effort to restore Belfast’s quarter time lead but Buivydas and Doles left just a single score between the sides.
However Richardson from distance and Conor Quinn and Jackson from inside saw Belfast lead 40-32 at half time.
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Darragh O’Hanlon knocked down a typical three to get the Warriors going early in the third and despite Jackson replying in kind, Doles and Leonard cut the gap back to 4.
Fields, Oisin Kerlin and Conor Quinn with a three saw Belfast hit the 50 point mark to lead by 11 midway through the quarter.
However the Warriors found their scores easier to come by as the clock counted down with Quigley, Doles, Steven Bowler and a double from Leonard cutting the Belfast advantage back to 56-50 as the sides headed into the final quarter.
Jarvis Doles continued to find the Belfast net early in the fourth to keep the Warriors in touch but Belfast drove for home with a stunning scoring blitz yielding 15 points in a row and forcing not one but two Warriors timeouts.
Richardson continued to torment the visitors defence with another double from inside and outside along with Jackson and Conor Quinn hitting from distance to all but settle the contest with three minutes on the clock.
Belfast emptied their bench and Conor Ryan, Frenki Lilaj and Jack Summersgill all obliged with scores late on to seal an 81-61 win in the end.
Scorers:
Belfast Star: Dre Jackson 21, Max Richardson 20, Conor Quinn 10
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Jarvis Doles 17, Ryan Leonard 15, Rap Buivydas 11
It doesn’t get any easier for the Warriors next week as they face a trip to Neptune Stadium to take on EnergyWise Ireland Neptune with former Warriors Jonathan Lawton among their ranks. Tip off at Neptune Stadium on Saturday next is 6.30pm.
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