Ballina stunned as Demons hit century
The sides have three scheduled meetings this year and this could prove the most significant for Demons, who clicked into top gear at precisely the right moment. They were awesome on the night, becoming the first team to score 100 points against Ballina in regulation time.
They edged the first quarter 22-19 but then Jermaine Turner with the second of five dunks got Ballina rolling and two baskets from Ronan McGarrity and another Turner dunk levelled the game at 31 points apiece after Carlton Cuffe had scored five without reply.
Ballina were now on a roll and the next six minutes produced the best basketball of the game with all of Ballina’s starters finding the target. Puff Summers hit 19 points in the first half and was unstoppable as he sent Merry Monk into the break 54-46 ahead.
Their run was short-lived, however, as Demons fought back in the third quarter with Alex Zimnickas, Carlton Cuffe, Levi Levine, Terence Todd and Murphy all finding the basket and to add to the Ballina woe Ronan McGarrity and Turner ended up in foul trouble with McGarrity on four.
In fact Merry did not raise a cheer until Pete Strobl hit two from the free throw line. Yet there was hope and were just trailing 67-72 going into the final period.
Turnovers from Ballina proved costly — they only scored 29 points in the second half, six short of their second quarter total.
Abrekabra Tigers went desperately close to losing their unbeaten run when they came up against a fast-improving Neptune side in Cork on Friday night when just three points separated the sides after Neptune, without skipper Gordon Fitzgerald (flu), had led them practically all the way before letting it slip in the dying seconds.
DCU Saints put a miserable November run behind them to start December off on a positive note with a 94-89 success away to Belfast Star thanks to another steely performance from Kenny Gamble, underscored by 23 points.
Hoops claimed victory over UCD/Marian in the Dublin derby despite having Irish international Ian O’Boyle disqualified from the court in the second period after picking up two technical fouls in six seconds.
Champions DART Killester were favourites to overcome UU but were forced to work hard to earn a 108-87 success over the plucky visitor’s.
Mustang St Paul’s collected their second points on the road with an impressive 96-83 win away to Limerick Lions who had 18 points from player/coach Matt Hall but it was the contribution of Matt Hilleary on 34 points for Mustang that did the damage.
In the Women’s SuperLeague Team Montenotte Hotel Cork won the top-of-the-table clash at home to DCU Mercy.
After a very close encounter in Dublin two weeks ago, this game promised plenty of excitement and delivered with DCU determined to reverse the result against the unbeaten hosts who got off the mark with an April Cahalane basket. She also slotted the extra point after she had been fouled.
Ann Marie Healy grabbed her first basket immediately after and the scene was set for another tough close battle between these two sides. In typical fashion Marie Breen added eight points and at the end of the first quarter the sides were level at 17 points apiece.
Having been introduced towards the end of the first period, Team Montenotte’s Niamh Dwyer was in outstanding form and with Jennifer Strong picking up her first baskets they led by 10 points with 6:38 left on the clock.
Lindsey Peat was having a good game for the visitors, ably supported by Healy, Fox and Suzanne Maguire and they battled back to trail by just three points at the end of the second period.
The scores from Healy and Fox all but dried up thanks to good defence from the home side yet, with three minutes left, Mercy were still within three points of the home side but another three from Niamh Dwyer and some steadying play from Fahy and Walsh put the game beyond Mercy’s reach.
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