Basketball: Titans claim U20 Men’s National Cup title with win over Neptune

Fortune Igbokwe's impressive performance earned him the MVP award.

HARDWARE: Titans' Fortune Igbokwe , Michael Smyth and Nathan Gbinigie celebrate winning. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher

Titans came from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to secure a dramatic 73-69 win over Neptune to claim the U20 Men’s National Cup at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday. 

Fortune Igbokwe had a massive performance, racking up 25 points and 20 rebounds, five turnovers and a pair of steals and assists for the victors, as he picked up the MVP.

Neptune opened up an early 10 point lead in this contest, following a Wesley Delany corner three, to make it 15-5 to Neptune with four and a half minutes to go in the first. Titans closed the gap, a shotclock beating three at the finish from Igbokwe saw them trail 22-20 at the end of the first quarter.

Titans were level at 24-24, following a floater by Stephan Owede a little over three minutes into the second quarter. Neptune had a narrow lead at half-time, 35-34, Sean Noonan’s layup was the final points of the quarter.

The third quarter was tight, Luke Mitchell’s basket for Titans saw the Galway side trail 42-41 at the midpoint. Neptune kept their noses in front, a pair of O’Rourke baskets in the final seconds had Neptune 51-47 ahead.

The Cork side raced out of the blocks in the fourth quarter, with three threes. It began with a lovely corner three from Dylan O’Rourke, before Delany converted and O’Rouke completed the sequence, to prompt a Titans timeout as they trailed 60-51 two minutes in. Neptune were ahead by 11 three and a half minutes into the quarter, 66-55 following Ben O’Connell’s basket and appeared to be in the driving seat.

Titans reeled in Neptune, a big three from Luka Mitchell was followed by layup under the basket from Ikbokwe, which prompted a big response from the Titans bench, Titans trailed 68-66 with 2’11 to go. They were level at 68-68 after offensive rebound by Victor Tashev. Back-to-back layups from Declan Gbinigie and Titans were 72-69 up with a little over a minute to go and that was to prove enough.

Neptune: Dylan O’Rourke (23), Kian O’Rourke (0), Oisin Tobin (4), Ben O’Connell (6), Akitoye Coker (3), Will Carmody (DNP), Noah Vaicekonis (0), Sean Noonan (11), Stephen Emukperuo (DNP), Wesley Delany (16), Luke Walsh (DNP), Pharrell Osagie (6).

Titans: Michael Smyth (0), William Poland (DNP), Stephan Owede (4), Noah Webb (DNP), Luka Mitchell (15), Luke Herrick (3), Filip Rogowicz (DNP), Declan Gbinigie (13), Viktor Tashev (8), Fortune Igbokwe (25), Richard Grebstels (DNP), Nathan Gbinigie (5).