Pyrobel Killester 75
SETU Waterford Wildcats 50
Pyrobel Killester completed the double, by adding the MissQuote.ie Champions Trophy to their MissQuote.ie Super League title win three weeks ago. They defeated SETU Waterford Wildcats 75-50 at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday.
Pyrobel Killester raced out of the blocks and led 24-6 at the end of the opening quarter, Jiselle Thomas hitting nine points and Irish international Michelle Clarke scoring seven, as they took command.
SETU Waterford Wildcats tried to establish themselves in the game, Kate Hickey landed from the three point line, with a little over three and a half minutes to go in the second quarter, to trail 36-11. Thomas responded straight afterwards with her second from the three point line. Claire Melia, who was awarded the MVP, was putting her stamp on proceedings, a putback basket and jump shot in the closing stages put the Dublin side 48-15 up. Alarie Mayze closed the deficit with a layup and follow-up free throw after being fouled, but it was Killester ahead 48-18 at half-time.
SETU Waterford Wildcats needed a fast start and jump shots from Jade Compton and Helena Rohan, either side of a Melia layup, narrowed the deficit slightly. A three from the corner by Compton saw Tommy O’Mahony’s side trail 52-25 with two and a half minutes gone.
SETU Waterford Wildcats continued to make inroads on the scoreboard, a put-back basket from Compton, a Maria SanRoma Gomez three and a pair of Compton free throws saw them trail 54-33 with three and a half minutes to go in the third.
Four Michelle Clarke free throws steadied things for Killester. The final minute saw Kate Hickey hit a corner three for Wildcats, while Jiselle Thomas’ converted two free throws to hand Mark Grennell’s side a 62-42 lead at the end of the third.
Killester’s stretched their lead to 27 points four and a half minutes into the fourth quarter following Keowa Walters’ basket, to lead 70-43 and they would see out the remainder of the game comfortably, winning 75-50.
Pyrobel Killester captain Michelle Clarke said: “Thrilled with our performance, first half was so much fun, they were always going to bite back and show us really what they’re really made of and they did themselves proud in the second half, delighted with the win.”
Asked whether recent finals experience had stood to them, Clarke added: “We’ve had our fair share of poor performances in the Arena, some days you’re on it, some days you’re not. Our last few games here have really struck dividends to us, they’re two of our best performances of the year, so we can be nothing but happy.”
Pyrobel Killester 75–50 SETU Waterford Wildcats
Quarter Scores: Q1: 24-6, Q2: 48-18, Q3: 62-42, Q4: 75-50
Pyrobel Killester:
Michelle Clarke, Ali Connolly, Sarah Courtney, Bree Shelley, Leilani Turner, Robyn Malone, Ieva Bagdanviciene, Marianna Troy, Claire Melia, Jiselle Thomas, Keowa Walters
Head Coach: Mark Grennell
Top Scorers: Jiselle Thomas 16, Ieva Bagdanviciene and Michelle Clarke (both 14)
SETU Waterford Wildcats:
Caitlin Gloeckner, Kate Hickey, Orla Dullaghan, Helena Rohan, Sarah Hickey, Alarie Mayze, Jade Compton, Sinead Deegan, Maria SanRoma Gomez, Illana Fitzgerald, Stephanie O’Shea
Head Coach: Tommy O’Mahony
Top Scorers: Jade Compton 16, Alarie Mayze 9, Helena Rohan and Kate Hickey (both 6)
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