Late drama as UCD stun holders

TEARS of joy for UCD Marian as they defeated hot favourites Killester in a pulsating Men’s SuperLeague national cup final at the National Basketball Arena yesterday.

Players and officials of the club wept openly after the greatest moment in their club’s 43-year history, their first ever title at this level.

Both teams looked tentative in the opening exchanges before Killester’s Jermaine Turner punished the students with two free throws. After four minutes without a score, UCD’s American James Crowder shot a massive three pointer, and the students were finally on a roll.

A three-man passing move saw Neil Baynes finishing with a lay-up and when the same player executed another basket in the fifth minute, it stretched the students’ lead to seven points 10-3.

Pete Madsen showed good composure to hit a three in the sixth minute but a similar Michael Higgins basket regained UCD’s lead to 14-6.

The closing minutes of the quarter were played at high tempo but a late John Behan three cut the deficit to 17-15 at the end of the quarter.

Behan tied the game after the restart as Killester upped the pace and Turner added a three that gave the champions a 20-17 lead.

The game got scrappy in the final minutes as UCD looked to be getting worn down by the Killester defence.

They were seven down, 35-28, but after a brave first-half performance left them still very much in the mix.

Baynes cut the deficit further on the restart but Turner replied almost immediately for the students.

Midway through the quarter Madsen made a brilliant spin drive to the hoop that extended Killester’s lead to 12; UCD needed to get back into the contest as Killester were threatening to close it out.

With two minutes left in the quarter Killester extended their lead to 49-36 but a mini-revival, that included two three-pointers from Crowder, cut the deficit to seven.

Killester veteran Damien Sealy had the final say of the quarter when he shot a late three that secured a 52-42 lead entering the final period.

Two consecutive baskets, including a three from Conor James, reduced the deficit to 52-47 as Killester looked to be wobbling.

When Crowder tipped in a rebound with 5.14 remaining, Killester’s lead was reduced to three as the Clontarf side started to look in real trouble.

Isaac Westbrooks was fouled out with 4.05 remaining and the stadium erupted as the UCD fans sensed the shock of the decade: Conor Meaney levelled the game and when Crowder added his fourth three pointer with 2.29 remaining UCD had taken the lead 57-55.

Coming down the stretch Killester’s shooting options were poor and they still trailed by two points when coach Mark Keenan called a time out with 31 seconds remaining.

UCD held out for a famous win, however, amid scenes never witnessed before at basketball headquarters. Coach Fran Ryan praised his sides battling qualities: “It was down to belief as very few people believed we could win it. But this team of ours are made of steel and they deserve their day of glory.”