Belfast Star get back on track with win over St. Vincents in Domino’s Men’s Super League

Belfast Star managed to recover from their defeat earlier this weekend against Éanna with an 85-79 victory over St. Vincent’s on Sunday. Star’s newest signing Shane Dezonie announced himself to the Star faithful with an 18-point game in his home debut. A Max Richardson three with two minutes left in the second quarter put Star up 40-37. The three-point advantage was the lead they would ultimately take with them until the end of the game.

34 points from William Thomas wasn’t enough for Vincent’s to get over the line as they fall to 9-10 for the season, sitting in sixth. One win and one loss in the double gameweek sees Belfast Star remain top of the league at 15-4, but the gap to the sides below them is now just one game. For Vincent’s, after a similar weekend of one victory and one defeat, sees them sitting in sixth, level with UCD Marian for fifth place.

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Flexachem KCYMS suffered a late defeat against Sligo on Saturday evening, but came out on the right side of the result on Sunday with an 88-86 win over Energywise Ireland Neptune in a battle of the bottom two in the table. Killorglin went ahead midway through the first quarter at 14-8, they would not fall behind until halfway through the final quarter when a tough finish from Samuel John Henderson put Neptune ahead 74-73. Emiliyan Grudov hit a three from the wing with just 1.5 seconds to go in the game to give Killorglin an 88-86 win.

The crucial victory on Sunday cancels out the loss to EJ Sligo All-Stars earlier this weekend and lifts Killorglin away from the relegation zone, also moves them away from Neptune, who remain bottom at 5-13 after two straight losses this weekend.

Killester made it four wins in a row, with a 95-79 triumph over UCD Marian, who suffered two defeats this weekend. Killester’s duo of Josh Wilson and Robert Braswell combined for 43 points in Sunday’s win. Killester led 7-5 early on in the first period and never lost the lead afterwards. They managed to create as much as a 30-point gap at one stage during the game. Bruce Saintilus continued to lead the way for Marian, following up his 32-point performance against Limerick Celtics with a team-high 19 points.

Killester are now at 14 wins for the season, one short of Belfast Star at the summit of the Domino’s Men’s Super League. Marian’s two losses in this double gameweek gives them a negative 9-10 record for the season, leaving them level with St. Vincent’s and one win behind Griffith College Éanna, who have a game in hand on UCD Marian as we approach the final four rounds  of the regular season.

After defeating league leaders Belfast Star this weekend, Griffith College Éanna lost to UCC Demons, who take a big step away from relegation and towards the playoff spots in a 100-87 win. Demons duo Jordan Washington and Tamyrik Fields scored 53 points between them to drive them to victory, with Fields also grabbing 11 rebounds. Mikah Blackwell added 18 for Éanna in the defeat, with Jaylyn Richardson scoring a team-high 19.

Demons remain level with Limerick Celtics competing for the final playoff position, with both sides at 7-11 for the season. Demons second game will be against Ballincollig on Thursday looking to move ahead of Celtics for the time being. Éanna’s mixed weekend leaves them in fourth place occupying the final home playoff spot, at 10-8, with an extra game to play over the sides below them.

EJ Sligo All-Stars took a major step towards safety in the Domino’s Men’s Super League with two wins this weekend, following up Saturday’s victory over Killorglin with a three-point, 88-85 triumph over Garvey’s Tralee Warriors. All-Stars trio Elijah Lawrence, Obinna Agu and Jordan Hinds scored 70 of All-Star’s 88 points. Holding just a two-point cushion with ten seconds to go, Lawrence nailed a free-throw to give Sligo the victory. Irshaad Hunte did his best to get Warriors over the line, with a huge 28-point and 17-rebound game.

Sligo join UCC Demons and Limerick Celtics on seven wins, but have played one game extra on the two sides, but have now extended their gap to Neptune at the bottom to two games.  Warriors are now 8-9 in seventh place. They hold two games in hand over Marian and Vincent’s ahead of them, which could see them go as high as fifth once their season is completed.