EJ’s All-Stars now 3rd in Division One

EJ’S Sligo All-Stars pushed Division 1 Title Contenders Abbey Seals Dublin Lions all the way in a pulsating game at Colaiste Bride in Clondalkin on Saturday evening. The All-Stars forced 2 Overtime periods before the Lions’ home advantage and larger panel proved the decisive factor in seeing them to a 110-100 win. EJ’s Sligo AllStars travelled without 4 of their regular squad and started with a first 5 of Matthew Donnellan, Tobi Brockmann, Zack Yonda, Jesus SanMartin and Inigo Zabalo. AllStars started well and ended the first Quarter with a lead of 22-18. Spanish Point Guard Zabalo and 18-year-old Sligo local Donnellan were the chief scorers with 6 points each while Brockmann added 5. Abbey Seals Dublin Lions crept into the game in the 2nd Quarter with their American Professional Latrell Wilson scoring 7, Muhamed Sabic with 5 and American Victory Scholar Garret Collins with 7. Best for EJ’s Sligo All-Stars in this period were Captain, American Victory Scholar, Zach Yonda with two sweet 3 pointers and Ballisodare native Tobi Brockmann with 7 points including a long distance 3 pointer. Sligo’s other American, Connor McClenaghan added 4 points in this quarter including a slam dunk towards the end of the Quarter following a neat pass on the turn from Mark Chambers. However, the Home Team’s Victory Scholar Collins scored a buzzer beating 3-pointer which was to be the difference between the sides at the end of the half as Dublin Lions lead by 42-39.

Sligo youngster Donnellan pegged them back with a 3-pointer. Sligo’s Point Guards Inigo Zabalo and Mark Chambers ensured the home team’s defence were on their toes throughout the 3rd Quarter as they passed the ball around to good effect and found further openings for SanMartin and Donnellan to add to their tallies. The game was tied 58-58 at the end of the 3rd.

The visitors got off to a good start in the 4th Quarter with American Yonda nailing a basket from the corner but from just inside the 3-point line. The sides traded baskets for a few minutes before the home team went on a 5-0 run to gain a 3-point lead. EJ’s Sligo All-Stars Head Coach Carlos Rodriguez called a Time Out to steady the ship. When play resumed Lions extended their lead to 5 before Zabalo and Donnellan pulled All-Stars back level with a three-point play and a 2-pointer respectively. Zabalao then stole the ball from the Lions offence and set about attacking the opposition basket. As he went for a lay-up he took a heavy knock on his way to the basket and the game was halted for a few minutes while he received treatment. The resulting free throws

were

missed and then the sides traded 3 pointers from Sabic and Brockmann before the home team’s American, Wilson, added two excellent 3-pointers to put a 6 point gap between the teams on a scoreline of 76-70.

Coach Rodriguez immediately called a Time Out and it had the desired effect when Donnellan scored a neat lay-up after the restart following an excellent pass from Zabalo. Lions extended their lead to 5 again with 2 minutes to go but All-Stars drew level again with a fine 3-pointer from Brockmann and two cool free throws by the Captain, Yonda. In a tense final minute both team’s defences won out as neither team could find a winner and the game was sent into Overtime.

The home team took the initiative in the first Overtime Period and raced into a 7-point lead. SanMartin and Brockmann combined well for Brockmann to score an open lay-up just after the break. Yonda cut the deficit to 4 with a free throw before Wilson executed a nice fade-away jump shot for Lions. All-Stars responded immediately with a 3-pointer from Jesus SanMartin to leave just 3 between the teams. Both teams were fighting hard for every ball at this stage and a nervous finish lay ahead.

Mark Chambers added 2 points for Sligo to leave the minimum between the teams but again the home side asserted and scored 5 without reply. Zach Yonda replied with a 3-pointer from the corner. A massive block by Jesus SanMartin at the end of that offence meant that Sligo had a chance to go in search of the equaliser. Brockmann carried the ball down the court and laid it off to Matthew Donnellan who made like he was going to attack the basket but instead passed it out to Yonda who was ready on the edge of the 3-point line and duly sent the game into a 2nd Overtime Period on a scoreline of 94-all.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be for EJ’s Sligo All-Stars on this occasion as Dublin Lions took full advantage of their superior numbers. EJ’s Sligo All-Stars are now joint 3rd in the Division 1 Northern Conference and take a break from league action to play local rivals Letterkenny IT this Saturday in the Presidents Cup with a tip off time of 7.30pm in the Mercy College gym.

Top scorers for EJ’s Sligo All-Stars were Tobi Brockmann 26, Zach Yonda 19 and Matthew Donnellan 17. EJ’s Sligo All-Stars: Inigo Zabalo, Zack Yonda (Capt.), Tobi Brockmann, Mark Chambers, Connor McCleneghan, Jesus SanMartin, Matthew Donnellan,