Phoenix edge Killester 74-70 to take NICC Men’s National Cup honours

Phoenix lifted the NICC Men’s National Cup, as they edged Killester 74-70 in a thrilling encounter at the National Basketball Arena. Phoenix’s Danny Lavelle was the star of the show hitting 32 points, including six three’s, on his way to claiming the MVP.

Danny Lavelle with his MVP award following the NICC Men's National Cup final at the National Basketball Arena on Friday.

Lavelle got his team up and running with eight points in the opening quarter, as Phoenix took a 20-14 lead. Killester’s Michael Bonaparte hit 10 points in the second quarter to help the Dublin club restore parity by half-time, 36-36. Bonaparte would finish with a team-high 24 points.

Killester went in front five and a half minutes into the third quarter when Al Casey - fresh from coming off the bench - was first to the loose ball after Jody O’Neill's missed free throw, to put them 47-45. A pair of Bonaparte free throws followed. But Phoenix finished the quarter strongly, a Lavelle three and two Maks Dimitrov free throws in the final two minutes saw them eke out a 58-51 lead by the end of the third.

Steven McGrath and Lavelle exchanged threes within 10 seconds of each other to get the crowd going three minutes into the fourth quarter, Phoenix ahead 64-58. The margin was 12 points, at 72-60, with four minutes to go, following Connor Mason’s long two point jump shot and a pair of Lavelle free throws. Killester then went on a seven point run to reel in their opponents, a Maks Dimitrov free throw with 18 seconds to go snapped the sequence. Killester made it a one-score game following O’Neill’s three with 10 seconds to go. As Killester applied full court pressure, Phoenix picked up a foul and Lavelle dispatched one of his two free throws, which was enough to secure the 74-70 win.

Speaking afterwards Phoenix captain, Richard Berzins, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic. I mean it was a huge team effort. This is the first time in eight years we’ve had a coach, so thanks to our coach Jim Martin, you’re a legend, he gave us this cup. Huge effort from the Killester men, they played like dogs out there, but our boys – Danny Lavelle – oh my goodness, the way he was shooting the ball today was absolutely insane and all the other teammates played like absolute dogs today and it’s ‘props’ to them that we got this.”

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 20-14, Q2: 16-22, Q3: 22-15, Q4: 16-19

Game Scores:

Q1: 20-14, Q2: 36-36, Q3: 58-51, Q4: 74-70

Phoenix:

Dominic Lynn (16), Peter Corr (DNP), Gary Murphy (5), Richard Berzins (1), Maks Dimitrov (12), James Lynn (DNP), Peter Ferguson (0), Brian Lynn (0), Connor Mason (8), Daire O’Gorman (DNP), Danny Lavelle (32), Niall Mullan (DNP).

Killester:

Robbie Clarke (0), Jody O’Neill (5), Al Casey (2), Eric Westbrooks (8), Steven McGrath (14), Colin Bernard (DNP), Michael Bonaparte (24), Gerard Crowe (DNP), Cathal Rodgers (0), Martin Byrne (2), Patrick Sullivan (5), Eoghain Kiernan (10).

National Cup Finals Results:

Friday 16^th January

IWA National Cup Final

Rebel Wheelers 62-47 South East Swifts WCB

NICC Men’s National Cup Final

Phoenix Basketball 74-70 Killester