Pyrobel Killester and FloMAX Liffey Celtics will face each other in a one-off playoff at the National Basketball Arena at 1930 next Saturday to decide who lifts the MissQuote.ie Super League title, after both sides finished with equal 17-3 records at the end of the regular season.
Pyrobel Killester won 85-70 at Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell, while FloMAX Liffey Celtics prevailed 96-76 at home against SETU Waterford Wildcats on Bank Holiday Monday.
Both teams knew a slip up on the final day would likely be fatal to their title hopes, Pyrobel Killestertipped off at 2pm in Cork, while FloMAX Liffey Celtics started their home game an hour later.
Killester did their part of the bargain first up, they raced to an early 15-4 first quarter and would hold a 40-21 advantage by half-time, their American duo of Jiselle Thomas and Keowa Walters to the fore,with 13 and 12 points respectively by the break.
FULL-TIME | Over to you, @LiffeyCelticsBC
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 70-85 Pyrobel Killester#BISL | #BITV pic.twitter.com/qJKreMOXI6— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) March 18, 2024
Killester continued to dominate and stretched their advantage to 25 points, 62-37, going into final quarter. Brunell rallied in the fourth quarter to close the deficit, but Killester had enough of a buffer, Thomas top scored with 27 points for the victors, Walters finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Claire Melia also doubled up with 13 points and 14 rebounds in a commanding performance.
Killester head coach Mark Grennell said: “Great performance to a player. I thought we were incredible in those opening three quarters. We then did really well to withstand the Brunell charge late on. We’ll focus now on getting the bodies healthy for Saturday, in what should be a fantastic match-up.”
After a tight opening quarter, with FloMAX Liffey Celtics ahead 25-21 against SETU Waterford Wildcats, the home side kicked on in the second quarter and led 56-34 by half-time. Liffey Celtics didn’t look back after that, safely negotiating the second half. Their scoring was evenly spread, Alexandra Navarette top scored for the Kildare outfit on 21 points, while Tianna Ayulo had 19. Their Irish international trio all hit double figures Sorcha Tiernan (16), Áine O’Connor and Rachel Huijsdens (both 10), while Kate O’Flaherty also caught the eye on 15 points.
Speaking afterwards head coach Karl Kilbride praised O’Connor, who also had 14 rebounds and five assists.
“Tonight was a team effort, we stepped it up, I thought Áine O’Connor was just magnificent in the first half, as it has been all season it hasn’t been one player, we’re balanced one through twelve and I thought that shone through tonight.”
FULL-TIME | All roads lead to the National Basketball Arena on Saturday 🛣️
FloMAX Liffey Celtics 96-76 SETU Waterford Wildcats#BISL | #BITV pic.twitter.com/Eu191VkpMm— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) March 18, 2024
Kilbride now faces his former side Killester in a league decider, “I think we’ve been the two most consistent teams in the league all year. Killester are fantastic, they do so many things so well, but we think we’re pretty good too and we’re excited for the match-up.”, he added.
In the only other game on Bank Holiday Monday, Catalyst Fr. Mathews won 95-68 at Trinity Meteors to secure a top six spot and with it a berth in the MissQuote.ie Champions Trophy playoffs. Having just 42-39 half-time lead, Pat Price’s side powered clear in the third and fourth quarters, their American Ariel Johnson finishing with a whopping 45 points. Catalyst Fr. Mathews will now face a trip to SETU Waterford Wildcats in the MissQuote.ie Champions Trophy quarter-finals, while Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell face Cork rivals The Address UCC Glanmire.
The finalised dates, times and venues for the MissQuote.ie Champions Trophy playoffs, InsureMyVan.ie Super League playoffs and InsureMyVan.ie Divison One playoffs will be released on Wednesday.
