League leaders Belfast Star survive scare from UCD Marian in Domino’s Men’s Super League

Belfast Star kept their advantage at the summit of the Domino’s Men’s Super League with an 84-80 victory over UCD Marian on Saturday. New signing Shane Dezonie led the way for Star with 24 points after Irish international Rapolas Buivydas received an ejection from the game. Marian took their biggest lead of the game in at half time with a 53-30 lead at the break. Bruce Saintilus and Tanner Graham combined for 59 points in the game. Marian also entered the final quarter with a 17-point lead, however a 34-13 final quarter from the league leaders gave Star their 16^th victory of the season.

Star remain one win ahead of Ballincollig after the Cork side won both of their games this weekend. For Marian, they are 9-11 and sit in sixth after the defeat, one win off of St. Vincent’s in fifth.

Killester slipped further away from the top of the table after a 58-72 loss to Garvey’s Tralee Warriors. Killester carried a ten-point lead into the final quarter of play, but a 26-2 fourth quarter in favour of Warriors completely turned the game on its head and gave Warriors the victory. Robert Braswell was the leading scorer for Killester, scoring 27 points. But it was the Warriors trio of Irshaad Hunte, Jordan Perkins and Daniel Jokubaitis running the show, Hunte scoring 15, Perkins with 18 and Jokubaitis adding 16 in the win.

Killester fall to third after the results this weekend with a record of 14-6. Warriors are now 9-9 for the season after the defeat. However, they do hold two games in hand on the rest of sides around them.

Energywise Ireland Neptune’s worries were heightened after suffering a 121-114 loss to St. Vincent’s. Michael Hayes hit free-throws midway through the second quarter to give Neptune a 46-44 lead, but a 13-point scoring run capped off by a tough finish Adon Gregorio to end the quarter gave Vincent’s a 59-51 lead into the half-time interval. Gregorio and Hayes combined for 53 points for Vincent’s after both sides had two 30+-point quarters in the second half of the game.

Vincent’s are now up to fifth with an even 10-10 record, just one win off Éanna in fourth, however Éanna hold a game in hand over Vincent’s. Neptune remain bottom of the table with five wins, with just three games left to play.

Flexachem KCYMS also missed an opportunity to move away from the relegation spot after losing 79-75 to Griffith College Éanna on Saturday evening. Killorglin held a ten-point advantage going into the final period of action, but a 20-6 final quarter for Éanna swung both the momentum and the result in their favour. Jordan Blount was just one rebound away from a triple-double performance after scoring 24 points and getting 10 assists for Killorglin. Jaylyn Richardson scored a game-high 28 points for Éanna, including hitting five threes on the way to getting Éanna their 11^th victory of the season.

Éanna maintain control on the final home court playoff spot in fourth, one win ahead of UCD Marian and Vincent’s. For Killorglin, they keep a one-game cushion ahead of Neptune at the foot of the table, but will be watching over their shoulder for the next three games.

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After defeating local rivals UCC Demons on Thursday, Ballincollig kept the momentum rolling with a 117-104 triumph over EJ Sligo All-Stars on Saturday. What will be a major cause of concern for Ballincollig will be the health of Latavious Mitchell, who picked up an injury in the opening moments in the second quarter and did not return. Latrell Jossell followed up his 34-point game on Thursday with a 20-point game against Sligo. Josh Steel led the way with 25 points. For All-Stars, it was Jordan Hinds, who had a game-high 27 points, with Elijah Lawrence also scoring 23. A 39-point third quarter gave Ballincollig a 23-point lead heading into the fourth and despite a 37-point final period for Sligo, they ultimately fell to a 13^th defeat of the season.

All-Stars are in eighth for the time being, with playoff rivals UCC Demons and Limerick Celtics facing each other on Sunday. Ballincollig move into second place with two victories this weekend. They are 15-5 for the season.

UCC Demons will face Limerick Celtics on Sunday live on BITV, with the winner getting the advantage in the race for the final playoff spot, Celtics also have an extra game to play over Demons, which will be played against Garvey’s Tralee Warriors next weekend.