Summer’ turn up the heat to sink the saints
St Gerald's College players, from left, Aidan Dempsey, Adam Jennings and Jack Hose eye up the next move of Summerhill College’s Thomas Casey during last Friday's Basketball Ireland North West U16 'A' League Final in Castlebar. Picture: David Farrell Photography
St Gerald’s College of Castlebar had their hopes of a regional U16 ‘A’ title come unstuck to last season’s U16 ‘B’ Cup champions Summerhill College who powered on in the second-half to claim victory last Friday.
With home advantage and the roar of their large support, St Gerald’s in the first-half took full advantage of the misfiring visitors, who let themselves down time after time at free throws presented to them due to persistent fouling by the hosts.
But inspired by captain James Lineen and Jack Kelly, members of last season’s national success, and an inspired showing by top scorer Oliver Ettery, they held St Gerald’s to only five points in the third quarter and that gave them enough of a cushion to see off a defiant final quarter by the Castlebar students.
The home side enjoyed an excellent start, going 13-5 ahead thanks to baskets by Darren Casey, Jack Hose and captain Aaron Mujic. While Gerald’s looked sharp with their shooting, Summerhill were guilty of simple misses, scoring only three points from a possible nine from free throws in the first quarter.
But they bounced back well with an eight point run to draw themselves level. Ettery and Lineen were prominent in their scoring burst but a successful free throw combo by Mujic and a basket by Hose edged Gerald’s 17-15 in front.
The second quarter began in similar fashion to the first. Ronan Barrett, St Gerald’s top scorer with 16 points, got half his tally in a blistering start, with Mujic and Hose keeping the board ticking.
Outscored 12-5 in the first six minutes, Summerhill came back again with a five-point run but their free-throwing accuracy continued to haunt them, with both Ettery and Lineen guilty as Gerald’s doubled their advantage to four points, 29-25.
It all went wrong for St Gerald’s following a disappointing third quarter. Whatever was said by the Summerhill management duo worked wonders as the Sligo warriors took the initiative. They nailed the opening two baskets of the third period before Jack Kelly shot an inspired three from the right side, followed by a basket by Ettery, to put Summerhill in from for the first time.
St Gerald’s Aidan Dempsey stopped the rot with the second attempt of his free throws but Summerhill College countered with a second three by Kelly and more scores by Ettery, whose influence on proceedings was growing by the second.
The scoreboard read 40-34 in Summerhill’s favour going into the final quarter. Gerald’s brought it back to one but that would be as close as they would get. The trio of Kelly, Lineen and Ettery restored the six points gap and each of the next three baskets by Gerald’s was met with an equal response by Summerhill.
The game was still in the melting pot coming into the final two minutes but an eight-point run by Summerhill, with Kelly nailing a third free, put paid to any hopes for the Castlebar school. Late baskets by Ronan Barrett and a three by Mujic were ultimately in vain as Ettery completed a 25-point haul with a pair of free throws in the dying seconds.
St Gerald’s College: Aaron Mujic (14), Aidan Dempsey (6), Adam Jennings, Jack Hose (12), Noah Donnelly, David Collins, Darren Casey (8), Darragh O’Connor, Ronan Barrett (16).
Summerhill College: Jack Kelly (13), James Lineen (20), Thomas Casey, Oliver Ettery (27), Konrad Zdrojewski (2), Andani Kawalazyk (2).
