All-Stars secure play-offs berth
EJ SLIGO All-Stars have qualified for the Basketball Ireland InsureMyVan.ie Men’s Super League play-offs for a second successive season.
The 98-94 home win over Templeogue last Saturday confirmed EJ Sligo All-Stars as the fourth-placed team in the competition’s North Conference and they cannot be overtaken by Templeogue, who are fifth.
This was a close contest – EJ Sligo All-Stars trailed at the end of the first quarter, 23-21, and were a point down at half-time, 46-45.
The sides were level going into the fourth quarter, 66 points apiece, as the home side outscored the visitors by four points, 32-28, to take the spoils.
Chrishon Briggs supplied 34 points for EJ Sligo All-Stars, with scoring contributions from Christian Williams (18 points) and Giorgi Tvalabeishvili (17 points).
Templeogue’s leading scorers were Vernon Jackson (28 points), Lorcan Murphy (24 points) and Neil Randolph (14 points). Murphy last week announced his retirement from international basketball.
Impressive for EJ Sligo All-Stars in this win – the team’s eighth victory from 17 games – were Chrishon Briggs, Christian Williams, Tom Child and Finn Hughes.
Shane O’Meara, EJ Sligo All-Stars’ head coach, was delighted with the result, one attained without Oisin O’Reilly, who has a foot injury.
He stated: “I felt that the lads did such a great job to come back – I think we were up by 11 points at one stage. We were in control of the game and we really looked after possession down the stretch when we needed to.
“We got into foul trouble early – both Briggsie [Chrishon Briggs] and Giorgi [Tvalabeishvili] – but we still managed to dig it out. For me, the likes of Finn Hughes was enormous coming off the bench.
“On paper we felt that we had the better team but it just wasn’t happening for us in the first-half. The boys knew at half-time that there was more in them.”
He added: “It is important that we prepare properly for the next two games, we want to win them. I also must thank the fans – I think we are the best-supported team in the country at the moment. Tickets are at a premium for our home games.”
EJ Sligo All-Stars have two fixtures left in their regular season, both at home.
This coming Saturday they host Energywise Ireland Neptune (Mercy College gym, 7.30pm) and the following Saturday, March 16, they are up against Ulster University at the same venue.
Griffith College Éanna 89, EJ Sligo All-Stars 78 (September
30) (L); EJ Sligo All-Stars 86, Belfast Star 93 (October 7) (L); EJ Sligo All-Stars 97, Bright St Vincent’s 91 (October 14) (W); Maree 92, EJ Sligo All-Stars 70 (October 21) (L); EJ Sligo All-Stars 86, UCC Demons 100 (October 28) (L); EJ Sligo AllStars 93, Pyrobel Killester 76 (November 18) (W); Templeogue 95, EJ Sligo All-Stars 90 (November 25) (L); EJ Sligo AllStars 85, Griffith College Éanna 105 (Scheduled for December 30 but played on December 2) (L); Flexachem KCYMS 76, EJ Sligo All-Stars 94 (December 9) (W); Ulster University 69, EJ Sligo All-Stars 86 (December 16) (W); Maigh Cuilinn 74, EJ Sligo All-Stars 63 (Scheduled for February 24 but played on January 6) (L); Belfast Star 98, EJ Sligo All-Stars 97 (January 13) (L); R12: EJ Sligo All-Stars 105, Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig@
MTU 97 (January 27) (W); Bright St Vincent’s 95, EJ Sligo AllStars 105 (February 3) (W); EJ Sligo All-Stars 102, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 101 (February 10) (W); R15: Pyrobel Killester 103, EJ Sligo All-Stars 86 (February 17) (L); R17: EJ Sligo All-Stars 98, Templeogue 94 (March 2) (W).
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 103, EJ Sligo All-Stars 77 (November 4) (L).
LLWLLL*WLLWWLLWWWLW. *Cup fixture – the rest are Super League games.
EJ SLIGO ALL-STARS’ REMAINING GAMES
BASKETBALL IRELAND MEN’S SUPER LEAGUE
Saturday, March 9 – EJ Sligo All-Stars v Energywise Ireland Neptune (Mercy College, 7.30pm); Saturday, March 16 – EJ Sligo All-Stars v Ulster University (Mercy College, 7.30pm).