National Cup

Jan 17 2025

Ongar Chasers win first National Cup title, with NICC Women’s National Cup success

Ongar Chasers defeated two-time defending champions Liffey Celtics 52-46 to claim the NICC Women’s National Cup, in a nail-biting encounter at the National Basketball Arena on Friday night. It is a first National Cup title for the club, which was only formed in 2012.

16-year-old Ezi Onwodi picked up the game MVP, she proved crucial in the final quarter - scoring eight points - to get Ongar Chasers over the line in a tight contest.

MVP Ezi Onwodi in action for Ongar Chasers during the NICC Women's National Cup final at the National Basketball Arena.

It was a slow start to this contest, Eva Lurascu’s jump shot put Ongar 9-3 to the good with a little over three minutes to to go in the quarter, but Liffey Celtics closed that gap to three by the end of the quarter, as they trailed 11-8.

A pair of free throws by Claudia Canuto Sanchez for Liffey Celtics brought the game level at 15-15 three minutes in. But Ongar Chasers were back up by four not long afterwards, helped by a nice fadeaway putback off the board from Danica Stankovic, to put them 19-15 up.

A layup, followed by a free throw, for Sanchez had Liffey Celtics 22-19 in front - Sanchez had 10 points at that stage. But a three from Stankovic in the final minute of the quarter made it 22-22 at the break.

Back-to-back threes from Stankovic put Ongar Chasers 30-24 up midway through the third quarter. But Liffey Celtics turned the game in their favour with baskets from Caoimhe and Niamh Masterson either side of free throws by Sanchez and Aoife Tiernan to see them 32-30 ahead. But in a game that flip-flopped, Onwodi followed her free throw with a three and the Dublin side had a 34-32 advantage, but it would be level pegging, 34-34, by the end of the quarter.

Ongar Chasers, cheered on by their vocal support, edged their way 38-34 up in the opening minute and a half of the fourth quarter. Liffey Celtics lost the influential Caoimhe Masterson to injury after that, but managed to bring it level once more, before Ongar Chaser re-established a four-point lead, 42-38, following Stankovic’s two-point jump shot midway through the quarter.

Liffey Celtics didn’t panic, a big three from Shauna Homan had them 44-42 up with 3’40 to go. The twists and turns continued, Onwadi’s layup nudged Ongar Chasers 48-46 up with 1’48 remaining. A driving layup from Onwadi edged Ongar further in front, 50-46, with 54 seconds to go and they’d eventually win it 51-46.

MVP Onwodi said: “I am so excited, it was such an exciting game, just a great win after a lot of hard work. We’ve been training the whole week to prepare for this and I think it was important, because it brought us into the game with a lot of confidence and we knew how to attack, how to play defence and it was really great for our mental.”

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 11-8, Q2: 11-14 Q3: 12-12, Q4: 17-12

Game Scores:

Q1: 11-8, Q2: 22-22, Q3: 34-34, Q4: 51-46

Ongar Chasers:

Katie Murphy (5), Anna Morrison (0), Danica Stankovic (13), Ana Postarnakova (4), Milica Stankovic (3), Niamh Kelly (0), Kellie Mae Murphy (2), Eva Lurascu (5), Carmen Torres Puerto (6), Ezi Onwodi (14).

Liffey Celtics:

Ada Bowler (DNP), Alanah Mullins (DNP), Shauna Homan (6), Caoimhe Masterson (9), Claudia Canuto Sanchez (12), Aoife Tiernan (5), Niamh Masterson (7), Sarah Bradley (DNP), Karen Mealey (2), Ailbhe Harrington (5), Shauna Curran (0), Rachel O’Carroll (DNP).