Emporium Cork Basketball into Super League semis after a classic double overtime win over Eanna
Adrian O'Sullivan, Emporium Cork Basketball, with possession against Eanna. Picture: Larry Cummins.
JOY for Emporium Cork Basketball as they saw off Northern conference champions Eanna after two periods of overtime in the Men’s Super League playoff at Colaiste Eanna.
Ballincollig played champagne basketball in the opening quarter and with a good spread of scoring they surged into a 16-8 lead midway through this period. They were doing great work at both ends of the court and it took a buzzer-beater from Ramonn Nelson to ensure Eanna only trailed 22-15 entering the second quarter.
The trend of the game didn’t change on the restart as Ballincollig continued to share the ball with fluency and speed. In defence, Ballincollig continued to shut down the various Eanna threats as they increased their lead to 14 following a neat Adrian O’Sullivan banked shot.
Gradually Eanna, backed by their home fans, began breaking the Ballincollig shackles and at the interval, they had reduced the deficit to seven points 42-35.
On the restart, Ballincollig were holding their own up to midway in the quarter when Eanna went on a scoring spree with Stefan Desinica and Joshua Wilson finding their shooting range.
In the closing minutes, both teams battled hard to gain control but with Eanna outscoring their Cork opponents 28-14 it gave them a commanding seven-point advantage.
Credit to Ballincollig, they were outstanding coming down the stretch and with Keelan Cairns and Dylan Corkery nailing crucial baskets they were level.
A minute later a stunning John Dawson shot outside the paint had the Ballincollig fans in rapture but Joshua Wilson responded with a basket and bonus.
Adrian O’Sullivan produced a masterful three-pointer with 31 seconds remaining that ensured overtime was required with the sides tied at 77 apiece.
Ballincollig got off to a flier in overtime, as Spanish ace Jose Jimenez Gonzalez put them five up with 1.11 remaining.
In the tense closing exchanges, Dawson was fouled out and a late Kristijan Andabaka three-pointer ensured the game went to the second period of overtime.
In the end of this enthralling battle, consecutive three-pointers from Jimenz, who ended as the game's top-scorer, sealed a Super League semi-final berth.
K Andabaka 21, J Wilson 17, S Desinica 14.
J Jimenez Gonzalez 23, K Cairns 21, J Dawson 20, A O’Sullivan 16.
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