Neptune force Lions to battle hard for overtime win

Neptune 89 Limerick Lions 91 (after overtime)

Jon Steven bombarded Neptune with three three-pointers in the opening minutes as Limerick sailed into the lead. Ricardo Leonard landed two baskets and a big three from Robert Lynch had Neptune struggling, but they never lost their composure.

Dajan Smith hit eight points, Gordon Fitzgerald landed a big three-pointer and Johnnie Gilbert landed two baskets to leave five between the sides. In the second quarter Stephen McCarthy landed a basket and Marcus Walley left the bench to tie the scores with a three-pointer.

William Walsh came off the bench to give Neptune the lead but Leonard came to Limerick’s rescue with the equaliser. Lynch added two more points but Neptune stayed in touch and a basket by Gilbert cut the margin to three points, 40-43, at half time.

Limerick increased their lead at the start of the third quarter and were five points clear when Neptune launched another fight-back on the back of a big three-pointer from Stephen McCarthy, leaving two between the sides.

A basket from Gilbert had them level at 55 points apiece and three from the free throw-line by McCarthy helped them lead 62-58.

Neptune went 10 points up at the start of the fourth quarter when Ian McLoughlin landed a three-pointer. Gordon Fitzgerald landed a basket and added two from the line and Kevin Reddy had one from the line.

Despite two baskets from Dajan Smith for Neptune, Limerick kept coming back and were six points down when Steven landed a three -pointer. Taylor landed a basket and one from the line and they were level.

Leonard went to the line to lead with 41 seconds left and added another from the line. McCarthy went to the line at the other end to send the game into overtime. It was still tied going into the last minute but Leonard landed a basket on the buzzer.

Top scorers: Limerick: R Taylor 31, J Steven 20 and R Leonard 18. Neptune: J Gilbert 22, D Smith 19 and St McCarthy 18.

* DART Killester earned a 74-63 victory over Shamrock Rovers Hoops at the National Basketball Arena.