Better performance from Killorglin but they can’t stop Belfast Star from shining brightest

MEN’S SUPERLEAGUE Keanes Supevalu Killorglin 78 Belfast Star 88

KILLORGLIN hosted league leaders Belfast Star last Saturday hoping to get their season back on track after three losses in their last three games.

Belfast currently sit on top of the league with only one loss this year. They also have 16-year old CJ Fulton in their ranks - he hit 47 points against Tralee last year in a schools finals - so Belfast would have been hot favourites going into this game.

Killorglin raced into a 9-0 lead with scores from Adam Donoghue and Daniel Jacobitus, mainly off the back of interceptions and fast breaks before Belfast got going with a three-pointer from Mike Davis.

Coach Ignas Sijanus introduced local big guy Eoin Evans, and he immediately fed the ball to Marin Brizca for a bucket, but Belfast responded with back to back threes from Johnson and it was game on, Killorglin 22 Belfast Star 17 after the first quarter.

The second period saw Belfast come out of the blocks fast and reduce the deficit to a basket after two minutes. Jacobitus and Fulton traded threes before Quinn hit another to put the visitors three ahead. Both teams were going score for score, with Pierre Newton, Ivan Bogdanovic and Adam Donoghue leading the charge for Killorglin, while Fulton and Davis were the danger men for Belfast, who led 46-43 at the big break.

The third quarter has not been great for Killorglin this year, but they seemed determined to not let any mistakes happen this time. It was all square at 50 apiece before unanswered scores from Davis and two for Baldovi edged Star ahead by 6. Newton was keeping the Keane’s scoreboard tipping over from the free throw line but at the end of the third quarter Belfast were ahead 69-60.

Killorglin had to chase the game in the last period but opened with a foul from Declan Wall to allow Mike David to the free throw line to extend the lead. Jacobitus and Davis traded threes but the pressure was getting to both sets of players with mistakes and offensive fouls the order of the day.

Keane’s were on team fouls and this allowed Belfast to the line on every foul. Adam Donoghue and Conor Flynn were trying hardest for Killorglin but Belfast aren’t the league leaders for no reason, and it seemed every time Killorglin made a big score, Belfast did the same.

Disappointment for Killorglin but they can take some comfort that this was a much improved performance than previous games.

TOP SCORERS

KSV KILLORGLIN: Daniel Jacobitus 23 pts, Ivan Bogdanovic 20 pts, Pierre Newton 15 pts

BELFAST STAR: Mike Davis 22 pts, Serio Vidal Baldovi 22 pts, CJ Fulton 15 pts

Killorglin’s next league game up is an away game to DCU Saints and this has fast become a must win game. However, before that they must face Belfast again, up in Belfast, in the next round of the National Cup.