Brunell basketballers misfire late on in home loss to Cavan Eagles
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell's Maddie Cluse under pressure from Cavan Eagles' Soleil Barnes during the Women's Super League at The Parochial Hall. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
A fourth-quarter collapse by Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell saw them suffer a shock defeat in a low-key Domino’s Women’s Super League clash at the GCU Arena.
The northerners, playing at this level for the first time, produced their best basketball of the season as the Nellies collapsed coming down the stretch.
Brunell were fancied by many to make a bold bid for honours at the start of the campaign with the quality in their squad. It's another blow to coach Liam Culloty, after their cup exit at home to Liffey Celtics.
Not for the first time, their Irish players underachieved with some getting good minutes in this clash and failing to register a basket.
The opening quarter was a low-scoring cagey affair and midway through a Maddie Cluse jumper tied the game at 8-8. A late Alexandra Mulligan three-pointer put Eagles 16-14 up entering the second quarter.
Brunell’s defence continued to be suspect and a monstrous Mazatkam Harris gave the Cavan side a 22-19 lead in the 12th minute. A neat Ava Walshe drive to the hoop midway through the quarter tied the game at 25 each.
The closing minutes to the break were frantic but with little to choose between the teams, Brunell were fortunate to lead by the minimum, 38-37.
The Eagles looked to be soaring high in the 26th minute when Soleil Barnes nailed a long-range three-pointer.
Credit to Brunell, inspired by Edel Thornton, they played their best basketball of the game in the closing minutes of the quarter and with Thornton finishing with a three, they took a six-point lead into the final quarter.
Whoever wrote the script of the fourth quarter certainly wasn’t a Brunell supporter as they were ambushed coming down the stretch.
In the closing minutes, the Brunell defence collapsed as the battling Eagles exposed them to secure this win against all the odds.
Looking at the Brunell full-time stats, they made 23 of the 47 shots inside the paint (49%) but outside the arc, it was a mere five of the 31 shots attempted, a paltry 16% average.
A bad day at the office for Brunell, who will be hoping their U18 and U20 teams produce better basketball in the cup finals at the National Basketball Arena next weekend.
M Cluse 20, E Thornton 15, M O’Leary 11, B Joseph 10.
M Harris 21, N Tolan 12, S Barnes 12, K O’Sullivan 12.
K Sexton, C Downey, A Walshe, M O’Leary, I McSweeney, E Thornton, F Kyamagero, K Walshe, A Lyons, B Joseph, M Cluse, R Bowdren.
K O’Sullivan, M Harris, S Barnes, L Kelly-Flynn, N Tolan, S Staunton, C Carroll, C Brady, C Tolan, A Mulligan, O Okperan.
Peter James-Coughlan (Cork), Pel Persson (Cork).
App?
