In Cappagh Park Arena, Knocknacarra this afternoon, the Home crowd were treated to a Fantastically entertaining game of Basketball,brim full of Skills; Tough Defence and lots of Character in this end of Season clash between Joyce Mackie and Lougheed Titans who were in 4th place and Swords Thunder who hold the 2nd spot on the end of season Division 1 Table.Though Titans had already beaten this massive squad on the road before Christmas, due to injuries to Paulius Pelzius and the absence of Sergi Marti andChris Mc ,it was a much slimmed down side that were to face into todays contest. The Thunders gave an exhibition of Monster Dunks; 360’s;Windmills and Tomahawks in the warmups that both entertained the crowd and simultaneously set out their intent for the next 90 minutes.
The game did not disappoint on any level. Mitkus, returning from illness won the tip and although the Thunder scored the first Basket, that was the last time they were in the lead for the entire game.
Coaches Freeman and Carolan obviously had a game plan, Win your boards and break at speed downcourt, controlling the game in an Up Tempo manner and running at the retreating Swords defence who were slow to get back. The opening quarter had it all..Big 3’s from Zern, with Coyne in his face; baseline drives and one handed scathing assists from Chris Coyne to Ginteras and Mitkus, cutting open the Big Swords zone with surgical precision. Tomz Fabriscious was dropping in 12 footers having jinked his way past the bigger opposition.But The Titan Defence was definitely the best of the season..slowing down the Swords offence in the mid court with
the hardworking Emmanuel Saah, followed by quick footed hedging and trapping by Chris Coyne, the consistant Emmet Murphy and Tomz Fabricious, The Titans ended the quarter leading 26-21.
In the second quarter, both squads tried out different pairings and match ups with the Titan substitution decisions proving the smarter. As always Glen Hynes brought control and order to proceedings and dropped an occasional 10 footer just to keep his defender honest. But it was still the tenacity of the Titan defence with Emmet, Chris, Saah,Hynes,Fabicious diving on every loose ball while Ginto and Mitkus controlled the boards, both ends at this point. The Titans went in at the half with a 13 point lead 46-33, but the enthralled home support knew that the high powered visitors had the ability to pull this back if the Titans let their guard down at any point in the second half.
The Titans hit the court running in the third quarter, Tomz, Coyne and particularly Murphy, penetrating the Swords defence, drawing fouls and kicking out the assists to awaiting shooters on the wings. Derek Mulveen was on court at this stage and controlling the offence and assisting the Titans to a 20 point lead, which looked almost unassailable…but Basketball is a game of four quarters. The Thunder had reduced the deficit to 10 at the end of the third quarter with the heretofore dormant McKeown and the well rested Zurn, putting on a shooting display that extended on into the 4th. At this stage the Titans running game, while still an option was beginning to dry up and Chris Coyne had to find space to launch a couple of big threes of his own; Mitkus and Hynes were happy with some buckets from close in and Ginteras was always a threat under the hoop.The two Thunder lads combined with the Might of Gallagher under the boards and suddenly with the game back to two points and one and a half minutes on the clock, the game was anyone’s with nobody leaving the gym until the result was in the bag. Chris Coyne was busy getting a hand to the shooting guard Zern while the rest of The Titans continued to win their own rebounds and any loose ball…Mitkus made his free throws, and Ginteras and Glen Hynes kept the big men away from the basket, while Emmet Murphy did his thing, smothering the rebound and bringing home the win in an awesome contest!Well Done Titans,Thanks for a Great Season and Best of Luck in the Champions Cup next Weekend same time same place 3pm against The second place Superleague side 3pm Knocknacarra, Sunday March 16th!
– JM&L Auctioneer’s Titans 79 (46) (T Mitkus 23, C Coyne 19, T Fabriciuss 16) Swords Thunder 77 (33) (A Zurin 21, C Gallagher 20, D McKeown 17).