The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Home win over Lions sends Killorglin into joint-fifth spot
MEN’S SUPERLEAGUE
Keanes SuperValu Killorglin 76 Dublin Lions 64
KEANE’S SuperValu Killorglin welcomed Dublin Lions to the complex last Saturday. This game was always going to be a close one and the large crowd in attendance was a reflection of the super work that’s going on in Killorglin basketball at the moment.
Killorglin took an early 4-1 lead, with two baskets from Pranus Shausdauskas but Dublin Lions came into the game on a high from their first win the previous weekend and the confidence from that was evident in their performance in the first.
Lions took the lead with two baskets of their own and drove on to increase their lead with Killorglin really struggling with the Lions centre James Gormley – at times he really looked unstoppable. The first quarter ended with Lions in the lead by 6, on a scoreline of Killorglin 14 Dublin Lions 20.
The second quarter was a much better performance for the Kerry men, with Denzel Brito in particular finding his form for Keanes. Declan Wall hit back to back threes and that really kick-started a run for Killorglin. They outscored Lions by 17 points to 3 in the last five minutes before the half time break, and held the lead by 9 when the half-time buzzer went, Killorglin 42 Dublin Lions 33.
Basketball is a game of runs, and now it was Dublin Lions turn. After Gormley and Flood exchanged scores, Lions hit four unanswered scores in a row and it was most definitely game on.
Rami Ghanem finally got the scoreboard going again for Keanes and they settled again after that. The final play of the period got the crowd going when Darragh Jones stole the ball off Tiernan Howe and made the long pass to Ghanem who finished the lay up to leave the third quarter score Killorglin 59 Dublin Lions 52.
Lions opened the last with a three from Sabic but Declan Wall answered with his third three of the night. Then came the score of the night when the ball was rebounded by Jones under his own board and four passes and two seconds later, Ghanem made the lay up to give Killorglin some comfort on the scoreboard.
Both teams went score for score then for the balance of the quarter with birthday Boy Allan Thomas finishing the game with back to back scores.
This win leaves Killorglin in joint-fifth place in the table with and well placed to achieve a place in the champions trophy at the end of the season.
TOP SCORERS
KEANES SUPERVALU KILLORGLIN: Rami Gahanem 26, Allan Thomas 14, Denzel Brito 10
DUBLIN LIONS: James Gormley 22, Finn Hughes 12, Tiernan Howe 10
Next up is the Kerry derby, when Keanes travel to Tralee to take on the warriors and that game will most definitely have it all.