All-Stars earn a winning start in overtime drama

EJ Sligo All-Stars leave it late to secure first victory of the new Basketball Ireland campaign as the team’s newcomers all impress against Tolka Rovers

BI Men’s Division One

Northern Conference – R1

EJ Sligo All-Stars 88

Tolka Rovers 84 After overtime

IT WAS a thrilling way to mark the return of the season, a four-point overtime win, 88-84, but EJ Sligo All-Stars Senior mean’s team head coach Shane O’Meara would rather be victorious in regulation time, with a little less tension and with a bit more to spare.

Tied 78-78 with visitors Tolka Rovers at the end of the fourth quarter last Saturday night, EJ Sligo All-Stars might have won it at the death but Keith Jordan, one of the team’s three professionals and the star here with 27 points overall, was just off-target with a three-point attempt.

Tolka Rovers, coached by a former All-Stars player, Gerald Kennedy, and a side who proved dogged, sticky

opponents, had drawn level with a

brace of free throw points from the very useful Michael Bonaparte with

under 15 seconds to go.

EJ Sligo All-Stars just about got over the line in the five minutes of overtime, a nip and tuck period that saw some wayward shooting from the home team, although Jamie Hayes was blocking and rebounding well.

With 40 seconds left it was still level – 84 points each – with Shane O’Meara’s crew nudging themselves in front via four points, two free throws from Zack Powell and a brace of similar finishes from the free throw line by Jamie Hayes.

Zack Powell’s 23 points, along with 18 points from Jamie Hayes and the 27-point haul from Keith Jordan meant that EJ Sligo All-Stars talented trio of new imports had provided an ideal platform for this result. But there were also encouraging local performances, too, including those of Eoghan Donaghy, Philip Hamilton and Matthew McHale.

Oisin O’Reilly got some time on the court, too, and the following day he was a second-half substitute for Drumcliffe-Rosses Point Gaelic footballers in their county semi-final against Coolera-Strandhill.

Cian Lally, who is O’Reilly’s teammate both in basketball and Gaelic football, was at the Mercy College but was unused due to his involvement in the next day’s game at Markievicz Park.

Head coach Shane O’Meara, enthused by the outcome, knew how important it was that, in such a tight contest, that EJ Sligo All-Stars got a winning start.

The teams were level at the end of the first quarter, 19-19, although EJ Sligo All-Stars had begun to move up through the gears when they led by nine points at half-time, 45-36. It was all square going into the fourth quarter, however, 60-60, with a lot more score-for-score moments to come.

“It was tough but great to be on the right side of it,” said O’Meara afterwards.

“It is the first competitive game of the season and we’re trying to build a chemistry on the court where anything can happen.”

Although admitting that he would have preferred a more straightforward win, he reckons that a game with this type of intensity is something that the squad’s younger players will learn from.

“Fellas like Matthew McHale and Eoghan Donaghy have massive potential and what is good is that they got involved and help make scores that we needed.” “Another big thing for us to get consistent performances from these younger players. We have things to learn – we got into foul trouble.

“We were punished for just a little bit of sloppiness defensively and a little bit of risk-taking.”

He added: “We also have to learn how to build on our leads and how to see games out when we are ahead. Credit to Tolka Rovers, too, they kept going and kept coming back at us.” Next up for EJ Sligo All-Stars is another home fixture – they take on LYIT Donegal at the Mercy College gym on Saturday night (7.30pm

start). Fans will be unable to attend due to ongoing limits on attendances, as was the case for last weekend’s fixture.

Best for EJ Sligo All-Stars: Keith Jordan

EJ Sligo All-Stars Senior men’s squad (v Tolka Rovers): Zack Powell, Keith Jordan, Jamie Hayes, Cian Lally, Eoghan Donaghy, Sean Snee, Matthew Donnellan, Philip Hamilton, Matthew McHale, Ryan Young, Oisin O’Reilly, Josh Henry

PICTURES BY JORDAN CUMMINS ON THE MOVE: Keith Jordan drives to the basket last Saturday night against Tolka Rovers. He scored 27 points for EJ Sligo All-Stars at the Mercy College gym.

KICKER: Bunninadden’s Barry Cafferky launches a pass forward as James Heraghty (St Molaise Gaels) watches on in the background during last Sunday’s Connacht Gold Intermediate Football Championship semi-final.

JUMP: Tourlestrane’s Conan Marren leaps highest in this aerial duel against Curry last Saturday in the Homeland Senior Football Championship semi-final.

DEJECTED: Curry’s Keith Feeley after the extra-time loss to Tourlestrane.

FACES IN THE CROWD: Watching the south Sligo clash of Curry and Tourlestrane.

CHEERING FOR THEIR CLUB: Tourlestrane fans at the game in Markievicz Park last Saturday.

ABOVE: Jamie Hayes in his first competitive game for EJ Sligo AllStars. BELOW: Keith Jordan was named the MVP of last Saturday’s game against Tolka Rovers. He is being presented with his award by Sligo All-Stars Basketball Club chairman Jim Lawlor.

Easkey’s Joe McHugh in action against St Farnan’s.