Ballina remain unbeaten ahead of historic Cup showdown
Miles Felletti shot a game high 33 points in Team Bar Square Ballina's dominatn league win over Affinity Institute Cavan Eagles. Picture: INPHO/NIck Elliott
Team Bar Square Ballina continued their impressive return to National League basketball on Saturday night, producing a commanding 96-63 victory over Affinity Institute Cavan Eagles at Ballina Sports Centre to make it four wins from four in competitive fixtures this season.
Unbeaten in their three National Cup qualifying fixtures, Ballina carried that momentum into their first league outing of the season. Scotsman Miles Felletti led the way with 34-points, including seven three-pointers, as the hosts made an emphatic start to their National League Division Two campaign.
American Joseph Bryant Owens added 25 points, while captain Mark Cunningham contributed 18 and Ronan McGarrity added eight in what can only be described as a dominating performance.
The home side set the tone early, basket after basket saw Ballina with a commanding lead with the attacking firepower of the side on full display. Despite a spirited response from the visitors, Ballina maintained control throughout, with a dominant third-quarter performance ultimately putting the contest beyond any hope for Cavan Eagles.
Cavan’s one and only lead came in the first quarter, briefly edging ahead by a single point. In great contrast to their last couple of games, Ballina found their rhythm quickly, an explosive spell of scoring saw them stretch the gap further and further leading by as much as 22 points. Owens led the way with 11 points in the first quarter, with Felletti not far behind on nine as Braves finished out the quarter with a commanding 35-13 lead.
Cavan Eagles showed greater resilience in the second period, with American Import Frederick Hauser providing an important offensive outlet. The visitors opened the quarter with a 7-0 run to reduce the deficit to 37-21, briefly threatening to make a contest of proceedings. However, Ballina responded with a run of their own to restore their advantage and entered halftime comfortably ahead, 49-28.
Cavan Eagles once again attempted to find a way back into the game after the restart, putting together an 8-0 run to bring the score back to 49-33. Hauser continued to lead the Eagles’ scoring, but any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished as Ballina found another gear.
Felletti was particularly influential during the third quarter, producing 14 points as the Braves responded with an 11-0 run to stretch their advantage to 68-46. However, basketball is not all about scoring, point guard Matthew McHale now leads the division in assists, totalling up 11 in last Saturday’s game.
With the contest increasingly beyond Cavan, Ballina continued to press their advantage in the final quarter. Another decisive scoring run extended the margin beyond 30 points, with the game in hand substitutions were made and Joseph O’Boyle took full advantage scoring his first National league points on the fast break ending the game 96-63.
The victory marks another significant milestone in Ballina’s return to the national stage. Four competitive games have brought four victories, with three wins in the National Cup qualifiers now followed by a winning start to their league campaign.
Attention now turns to what promises to be one of the biggest occasions in the club’s recent history. On Saturday, November 7, the Braves welcome Carrick Cruisers to Ballina for the first-round proper of the National Cup.
The challenge will be a considerable one. Carrick compete in Division One, a level above the Mayo side, and have established themselves as one of the stronger teams in the competition. The Carrickmacross outfit have also enjoyed an impressive start to their league campaign boasting a 4-1 record, they will be no strangers to Felletti and McHale who have suited up against them before in tightly contested and heated games for other outfits making Saturday’s encounter a genuine test of Ballina’s credentials.
For Ballina, however, the occasion represents an opportunity to measure themselves against higher-level opposition and take another step forward in their return to national basketball. With four victories already behind them, confidence will be high as Ballina prepare for what could be a landmark night for the club.
Tickets for this weekend's cup game are available HERE.
Team Bar Square Ballina: Miles Felletti (34), Joseph Owens (25), Markie Cunningham (18), Ronan McGarrity (8), Matthew McHale (3), Theo Daly (2), Conor Forkin (2), Dave Marrey (2), Joseph O’Boyle (2), Ronan O’Malley, Connor Burke, Cian Morrison.
Affinity Institute Cavan Eagles: Fredrick Hauser (33), Sean Brady (8), Glen Ryan McCann (7), Tomas Kizelis (6), Vito Boroneko (5), Daniel Debosz (2), Arnas Mineikas (2), Liam O’Bernie-Grealy.
