Cork Basketball: Latavious Mitchell and Latrell Jossell guide Ballincollig to victory over Tralee Warriors
Latrell Jossell, Ballincollig, on the move in the Men's Super League clash with Garvey's Tralee Warriors at the MTU Arena. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Latavious Mitchell produced a magnificent display coming down the stretch that ensured Ballincollig saw off a resilient Tralee Warriors side in a cracking Domino’s men’s Super League clash at the MTU Arena.
American Mitchell (24 points), after a slow start, died for the jersey when his team needed inspiration. Fellow American Lattrell Jossell also contributed 24, on what proved to be a great night for the Cork side.
Adrian O’Sullivan has been in the form of his career in this campaign and he started with a stunning move to the hoop for the opening basket. Credit to the Warriors they responded in style and three consecutive baskets gave them a 6-2 lead in the third minute.
The opening exchanges were scrappy with the sides sharing 12 points up to midway through the quarter. Keelan Cairns drained the first three-pointer two minutes later and suddenly the tempo began to increase.
The visitors got a huge contribution off the bench from Olaf Michalczuk with two monstrous shots outside the paint that gave his team a four-point lead.
Credit to Ballincollig they responded to command a 26-24 lead entering the second quarter with Josh Steel increasing their lead on the restart.
In the opening three minutes of this quarter the game became scrappy with poor turnovers on both sides with the home side still up by three. The Warriors responded to level the game a minute later but for some strange reason this game lacked fire and passion that is usually associated when these sides clash.
Consecutive three-pointers from Cairns and Jossell had the home crowd in rapture but star American post player Latavious Mitchell was struggling at this stage to make an impact.
In the closing possession, the Warriors ace guard Jordan Perkins made a pull up jumper that ensured his team went in at the break commanding a 49-46 lead.
On the restart, the Warriors began dominating at both ends of the court and with Americans Hunte and Perkins showing nice touches they surged into an eight-point lead midway through the quarter.
Just when the visitors looked to be taking control Ballincollig responded with a superb Mitchell basket and bonus.
The Warriors were struggling to get the ball up court with Perkins resting and the home side were back on level terms 60-60 with 1.23 remaining.
After a comedy of errors from both sides in the closing minute, Jassell drained a buzzer beater and suddenly Ballincollig were back in control 62-60 entering the final quarter.
Midway through the quarter, a stunning Quigley three-pointer edged Tralee ahead 69-66 as Ballincollig were now being asked plenty of questions. Coming down the stretch, both sides went for the jugular but Ballincollig’s will to win got them eventually over the line.
L Mitchell 24, L Jossell 24, A O’Sullivan 11, K Cairns 9.
J Perkins 28, I Hunte 22, D Bowler 9.
A O’Sullivan, J Steel, L Jossell, D O’Herlihy, A Rodriguez, C O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan, R O’Sullivan, C Blount, L O’Sullivan, D Corkery, L Mitchell.
I Hunte, J Perkins, O Michalczuk, S Bowler, J Fernane, D Bowler, K Crowe, P Fleming, D Jokubaitis, C Sullivan, E Quigley.
Jamie Dooley (Portlaoise), Emer Buckley (Kerry), Leanne Ahern (Limerick).
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