Table toppers all pick up wins on curtailed week of National League fixtures

Belfast Star maintained a two-game lead over Killester in the InsureMyVan.ie Super League North Conference, as both picked up wins during a curtailed week of games across the National League. 

41 points for De Ondre Jackson and Max Richardson gave Belfast Star an 81-61 win over Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, who slip to 3-3 for the season, while a third double-double of the year from Gregorio Adon helped Killester to a 87-70 road victory over Moycullen.  with a 20-point win over resurgent Garvey’s Tralee Warriors at De Le Salle College.

A similar story is unfolding in the South Conference where Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU and Maree BC have separated themselves from the chasing pack, moving to 5-1 with wins against Templeogue and UCC Demons.

That made it a second win over Mark Keenan’s Templeogue in the space of a week for the defending champions. An 11-2 run either side of the midway point in the final quarter giving Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU a 91-86 victory at the buzzer. That is now Templeogue’s fourth defeat of the season by five points or fewer, as they drop to 1-5. 

It took a late Ken-Jah Bosley three for Maree BC to put UCC Demons to the sword in a frenetic 88-86 win in the Mardyke Arena. The home side led by as much as 15 points in the second quarter, before Bosley, who shot 71% from the field in the second half, helped engineer a comeback for Charlie Crowley’s side. 

Elsewhere Energywise Ireland Neptune got back to winning ways following last week’s defeat to Maree with a comfortable 24-point win over Flexachem KCYMS at Calasanctus College. Energywise Ireland Neptune took a 12 point lead to the break and extended it to 14 points by the close of play. Chrison Briggs continuing his fine season through another 25 point haul, while Jonathan Lawton hit 21 points in a 92-78 success.

In the InsureMyVan.ie Division One Mater Private Malahide moved up to second place in the North Conference thanks to a 97-70 win over South Conference bottom side Killarney Cougars. Matthew Harper and BB Chuks-Mady proving the difference between the sides with a dynamic display of shooting and rebounding. 

There was better news for Cougars cross town rivals Scotts Lakers Killarney. Braden Bell and Terion Moss are both having excellent seasons and showed their class in a 81-71 win against Joels Dublin Lions that draws them level with Limerick Celtics at the top of the South Conference, though they have now played a game more than their rivals.

Only two games took place in the MissQuote.ie Division One due to Ireland’s FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2025 qualifier against France at the National Basketball Arena.

Phoenix Rockets split back-to-back home games against Limerick Sport Huskies and Limerick Celtics as Lisburn Racquet Club. Georgie McGrath caught fire on Saturday afternoon, scoring 27 to go with nine rebounds and five assists in a 85-75 success against Huskies. 

However, their hopes of a double over the Limerick sides didn’t make it through Sunday’s contest with Celtics. 20 points from Samatha Coleman and a further 14 points from Irish underage international Lucy Devoy between the start of the second and end of the third quarter gave the road-side an unassailable lead as they held on for a 74-69 win in the face of a late Phoenix Rockets rally. 

It leaves Phoenix Rockets sitting at 2-5 in the North Conference, while Limerick Sport Huskies missed out on the chance to keep pace with their local rivals in second place of the South Conference.