2015-2016 Season
BNI/Ulster League U-16s
Mar 20 2016 BNI ULSTER FINAL ANTRIM FORUM
Star pulled out a dramatic victory in the closing moments of a tense final against old adversaries Blackwater Steelers to successfully defend their Playoff Title, and complete the League and Cup double at the Antrim Forum, doing just enough to edge the 'W' 56-52.
But Steelers - as ever - put in a mighty performance and pushed Star all the way to the final whistle, and on another day could well have emerged victorious. From a broader perspective, it is actually fantastic to see the strides this Steelers team have made over the past two seasons, and they are truly a force to be reckoned with, which is a fine tribute to the dedication and work going on in the club, and to their coach Tom O'Connor in particular.
The difference maker, fittingly, was the superb performance of Niall McGinnity, who literally put his team on his broad shoulders and carried them over the line, dominating offensively - he accounted for 33 of Star's 56 points - and coming up with crucial defensive boards down the stretch which allowed him to punish Steelers from the charity stripe.
Star got off to a great start, carrying their form from the previous week over to the final, executing offensively and locking down hard on the defensive end. McGinnity was helped inside by the insertion of Kieran Connolly into the starting 5, who continues to contribute each time he steps on the floor. Peter Henvey was looking more like his old self too, but unfortunately took an early knock which increasingly limited his normal influence on things as the game wore on, and in fact caused him to be withdrawn from the fray later in the game. Star took control and finished the quarter well, leading 21-14. The second quarter was a more even affair, as Star began to lose momentum after their sprightly start. It seemed like a lot of the players were tired, and it is possible that some of them in fact were, given recent exertions and long trips to Cork for Ireland training duties. Baskets by Conor Ryan, Conn Doherty and Niall Hurson kept the scoreboard ticking over, but Steelers continued to stay in touch, and the half time score finished 32 - 23.
Star's coach was concerned at the interval, as the team seemed more concerned with events going on in the adjacent court where the U18 team were involved in a tense final with Phoenix, rather than focusing on their own Ulster final. It proved to be a well-founded concern, as Star came out for the second half flat and clearly not locked in to the game in hand. As expected, Steelers came out firing on all cylinders, and Star took a pummelling at both ends of the court as a resurgent Steelers roared back into contention, led by the impressive R Treanor, A O'Connor and C Fitzgerald. Star tried to find a combination that would work and regain momentum, but it proved elusive, and by the end of the third quarter it was game on, Star hanging on to a lead 41-39. With Star's Internationals all going missing in action, it was a huge effort in particular by Conn Doherty along with Kieran Connolly which kept Star in the game as Steelers took the lead for the first time with a few minutes to go on a rather fortuitous tri-fector from C McCrystal. But Star showed commendable resilience when the chips were down, and CJ Fulton successfully fed McGinnity in the post to kick start him again after a brief rest on the bench. The big man showed real nerve, going 6 for 6 from the charity stripe to put separation between Star and Steelers as time ran out, and Star pulled the game out of the bag.
It wasn't the most satisfying of wins, it has to be said, though in fairness Star did miss the influence of a sick Matthew Mulholland on proceedings, along with the forced withdrawal of Peter Henvey. Nevertheless, full credit to Steelers who were superb on the day and, if not for a gargantuan performance by MVP McGinnity, could have taken the honours deservedly.
But if Star are to do anything at the all-Irelands shortly, it is going to take a fully focused effort to compete at the top table, and certainly lessons are there to be learned for the whole group, if they care to reflect on the day's proceedings.
Mar 13 2016 BNI Final Fours Star v Queens
Star produced by far their slickest performance of the season, and gave those who came to watch a glimpse of the formidable firepower and talent of this particular squad, as they ruthlessly took out a quality Queens team in the first of the BNI semi-final Playoffs. Enjoying home-court advantage in St. Malachy's 'Gaaaden', they rolled to a near 40 point victory on a scoreline of 61 -22.
There were so many positives and talking points about this performance, but the most satisfying feature was the consistency of each individual player in the squad of 11 when they were called into the game, underlining the sheer depth of talent the club have at this age group.
Led by the 3 amigos, the Senior guys Niall McGinnity, Peter Henvey and Dermy Maguire - who accounted for all bar one basket of the scores in the first quarter - the team put together a comprehensive demonstration of mean defence and high-level execution offence as the game unfolded, preventing Queens from getting any foothold in the game at all. CJ Fulton pulled the strings for the first quarter 5, and set the tempo from the get-go, releasing Peter Henvey for a fast-break lay-up. The Derminator Maguire went 2 for 2 from both corners off nicely run offences, and Niall McGinnity established himself in the paint, where he earned his free throws and took full advantage as Star raced into a 20 -5 lead at the end of the first quarter.
If this was an excellent quarter, it was at least equalled by the performance of the 2nd Quarter Passerelle team, as Star kept their foot down on the peddle and accelerated away from a reeling queens team. Matthew Rooney put in a typically brave effort to try and stem the tide in this quarter, hitting 5 points from the charity stripe to go along with a pair from Cormac O'Rourke, but it proved impossible to stem the momentum Star had generated. Kieran Connolly put in an excellent shift and started proceedings off with a nice move inside. Conor Ryan had an excellent game at both ends of the floor, and is really buzzing at just the right time. And Conn Doherty, Ryan Scott and Niall Hurson all put in their best performances of the season, playing their roles to absolute perfection, as Queens could just not see any let up from the relentless power plays on both ends. The score line was 41- 14 at the short horn.
Queens changed things up as they went into the 3rd quarter, showing some zone defence which helped tighten things up, as Star hit a bit of a lull offensively and missed some good-look shots. But Star's defence ensured there was no way back into the game for Queens, as Mattie Mulholland, Conor Ryan and Niall Hurson each took turns to keep M. Rooney contained, allowing Peter Henvey and Conn Doherty in particular to play the passing lanes and initiate and execute fast-breaks. In fact, it would be difficult to single out anyone from a quite comprehensive defensive performance, as CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan, Niall Hurson, Mattie Mulholland, Ryan Scott, The Derminator and Peter Henvey created havoc in the open court, and Niall McGinnity, Conor Cooke, Kieran Connolly and Conn Doherty dominated the paint at both ends. Perhaps the greatest feat that could be said is that the team forced a complete shut out in the 4th quarter, something this observer can't remember seeing in literally 30 years of basketball, as make no mistake about it, this Queens team are a formidable team on their day.
It was simply an excellent all-round performance from each player, which combined proved too much for a valiant Queens team. If the team can find any level of consistency at this level, they can look forward to the BNI Final, and beyond when they represent Ulster in the up-coming All-Ireland playoffs. For the first time in several seasons, the Star coaching staff couldn't nominate a game MVP, as a case could have been made for any number of the players. A fine all-round performance.
Mar 06 2016 Star v Andersonstown Tigers
A comfortable win in the last game of the league, Star cruised to a 56-23 win. Despite missing CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan & Conor Cooke for Irish Training duties across town in Methody, Star had more than enough in reserve to take the 'W', though Tigers were without J Summersgill also, which reduced their offensive firepower.
It's now officially the Business end of the season, roll on the playoffs....
21 Feb 2016 Steelers v Star
Star avenged their only defeat of the season in the penultimate game, a league rematch versus Blackwater Steelers, and with it took their first silverware of the season, becoming league champions with a good win in Monaghan, taking the 'W' 52 - 36.
As ever, it didn't come easy, as Steelers did what Steelers do, putting in a gritty performance, in the knowledge that the winner of this game would become League Champions. The first quarter was predictably a tight affair, Steelers getting good offensive power from K McAdam and the reliable Andy O'Connor. But Niall McGinnity also put a marker down early, rattling in 8 of Star's 14 first quarter points, and beasting on the boards. Helped mainly by a solid back-court of CJ Fulton and Mattie Mulholland, Star edged the first quarter 14-13. The second quarter remained tight, and the game swung to and fro as Steelers found some offensive rhythm. Conn Doherty and Kieran Connolly kept the scoreboard ticking over, but Star were guilty of missing too many chippies around the ring, and this enabled Steelers to come back and in fact take a lead at the short horn, on a scoreline of 24-22.
A tactical switch by the coaching team for the start of the third quarter however changed the dynamic for Star, and with the Passerelle shackles off, Star really turned up the heat, locking down defensively as a unit and starting to get a better up-tempo pace established. With Mattie Mulholland and then Conor Ryan digging in defensively on Steelers main offensive threat, and Niall McGinnity, Kieran Connolly and Conor Cooke starting to dominate the boards, Star broke the game open, taking the quarter 15 - 3. Steelers struggled to respond as the momentum swung in Star's favour, Peter Henvey coming alive to begin to dominate as the game opened up more and his power in transition became evident. It was fitting that he nailed all three of this free-throws as the clock ran out for the quarter and he got fouled on a tri-fector.
Steelers typically fought right to the end, as the fourth quarter played out, but Star kept a firm grip on the tempo of this game, and continued to execute well on the offensive end to keep Steelers at bay. With 2 minutes to go, CJ Fulton 'daggered' a tri-fector to put the game beyond doubt, and Star came away with a well-deserved victory 52 - 36. It was a great team effort, and pleasing to see everyone making fine contributions. But the performance of Niall McGinnity - again - was a joy to watch. Putting in two back-to-back performances over the weekend against the best teams in the league was a testament to the levels of performance he can produce, and fantastic to watch. The onus is now on him to establish this level of performance on a consistent basis, and for the rest of the guys to match this level in their own individual performances, bringing their best game to the team's collective. If they can do this, this team has a real chance to do some damage at the next level, which is what they have been working towards all season.
Playoffs here we come, then the fun starts with the All-Irelands.
20 Feb 2016 Star v Phoenix
Following a fairly straightforward win over Tyrone Towers, Star returned to St Malachy's Gaaaden for a rematch with Phoenix, who last week recorded a notable victory over Blackwater Steelers, as the season reaches its climax. So a keenly contested game was anticipated, and what indeed was served up, Star ultimately prevailing for the 'W', 54 - 34.
Star got off to a reasonable start, and Niall McGinnity immediately put his mark on the game, rattling off 10 points in the first quarter, and dominating the boards on both ends. Star signalled their intentions by going at Phoenix from the start, attacking the paint and led by Niall McGinnity and Peter Henvey. However, a failure to convert on multiple opportunities meant that Phoenix were able to hang in, and the first quarter finished 15 - 8.
The second quarter was unfortunately more of the same, as the second quarter Passerelle five failed to convert multiple opportunities, and the tempo of the game was too slow, preventing Star getting into their normal rhythm. Kieran Connolly and Conn Doherty managed to nail a few field goals, but the quarter finished 9 - 7, Star only showing a pretty poor 24 points at half-time for a lot of effort.
Star picked it up more in the second half, and despite the best efforts of C Mason, B Lynn and P Corr, Star started to pull away more in the second half. Niall McGinnity put in an undisputed MVP performance, carrying the team with a game high 30 points, and again it was noteworthy that ALL of his points were in the paint or the charity stripe. He was simply unrecognisable from the player who went through the motions in Dungannon leisure centre only a fortnight ago, and this is the real challenge for him and in fact all the team - to put in performances like this on a consistent basis, irrespective of the opposition, demanding and setting high standards on a nightly basis.
In fact, McGinnity was involved in the Starbucks Play of the game, seeing over the top of the defence to hit Peter Henvey on a beautiful back-door cut, which he duly converted. Despite running all 10 players in over the 4th quarter, Star still put in a decent finish to score 16 points, and pulled away from a valiant Phoenix effort to take the game by 20.
Next up, the much awaited return match with old rivals Steelers, never an easy match, but one which the team has been waiting for since their one and only defeat earlier in the season.
31 Jan 2016 Phoenix v Star
Star played the second of two games over the weekend when they made the short trip over to Methody to play Phoenix, emerging victorious with a well-earned 'W' on a scoreline 44-30.
Again minus their captain Niall McGinnity, things got tougher when Conor Ryan fell awkwardly early in the second quarter and injured his hand, so Star had to reach deep to fashion this win, getting noteworthy performances across the team.
The first quarter Passerelle 5 put in a much-improved effort compared to the previous day vs Blaze, CJ Fulton playing with a better focused and assertive mind-set, and instantly took control of the tempo. Conn Doherty had a superb quarter, going off for 10 points, hitting 4 for 4 from the charity-stripe and supplying much-needed intensity, along with Daniel Hackett, and the team finished the quarter up 15 - 3.
The second quarter was a more even affair, with Phoenix coming back strongly into the game. Star paid the price for yet again not finishing well at the rim, and missing more free-throw attempts, and this, combined with missing the drive and offensive punch of Conor Ryan after his enforced exit, allowed Phoenix to get a foot-hold back into the game. Niall Hurson stepped up to the plate to run the offense, showcasing his steady improvement as the season progresses, and Ryan Scott nailed an important trey to check the Phoenix momentum just when the team needed a lift, following up on a great display the day before vs Blaze. Star led by 23 - 14 at the short horn.
Again the third quarter was evenly contested as the game ebbed and flowed. C Mason and B Lynn posed problems for Star on the defensive end. CJ Fulton and Matthew Mulholland continued to keep the defensive pressure on the perimeter, and finally Peter Henvey awoke from his slumbers to put his mark on the game, attacking the rim and scoring in the paint, before squeezing in a buzzer-beater trey to give Star back the momentum. Still Phoenix wouldn't fold the tents, and came again at Star in the fourth. But Kieran Connolly made the Starbucks play of the game, corralling a defensive board before beating Phoenix down the floor in transition for CJ Fulton to find him with a nifty pass over the top and the chance for the and-one (shame he didn't make it, again the team struggled somewhat from the free-throw line). Dermott Maguire finished Phoenix off with a dagger trey from the wing, polishing off a great contribution on the defensive end, and Star ran out winners 44 -30.
Positives and negatives from the weekend games:- The team showed their depth in despatching two good teams in Blaze and Phoenix, and showed they could handle both zone and man-to-man defenses as required. Transition game was better, and generating opportunities and scoring from the perimeter has definitely improved in the last few games. Some fine individual performances from CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan, Conn Doherty, Matthew Mulholland and Kieron Connolly, whilst Daniel Hackett, Ryan Scott,Dermott Maguire and Niall Hurson have put in their best games of the season. However, the team's inability to focus for more than small passages of play at a time is a real worry for the coaching team, and this team is crying out for someone to emerge as a Leader, to drive them to the next level. One of these days the team will all come on to the floor with a united and determined mindset, and show what they are capable off over the course of a game. When the players start to realise there is a direct connection between missed lay-ups, missed free-throws, missed screens in set-plays, being out of position in offenses and end/side-line plays, and missing and messing around in lay-up drills, fast-break drills, shooting drills, and not staying connected to the game when they're on the bench, then the real deal team will be there for all to see.
29 Jan 2016 Star v Blaze
6 Jan 2016 Queens v Star
Star got the new year off on a satisfactory note with a focused and disciplined performance in the return leg of the back-to-backs with Queens, taking the 'W' at the PEC 32-65.
It must be said that all eleven players gave a great account of themselves when put in to perform their role, which was quite simply the most pleasing aspect of the victory from the coaching team's perspective. As the team enter the business end of the season, the call for a greater collective effort, for holding each other accountable for their performances, and for a simple no-nonsense approach, asked for at training, manifested itself as the team took to the court.
As ever, the first quarter was a tough, competitive affair, Queens bringing their undoubted talent to their home floor, and the atmosphere was crackling for a good game. Tom Dunford topped and tailed the first quarter with good scores, and assisted by the industrious Matthew Rooney, kept the Queens scoreboard ticking over, the pair accounting for all 16 of their first quarter points. However, Star didn't shirk from their task, and led by their captain Niall McGinnity, took the game to Queens, executing well on the offensive end and playing very disciplined defense. Star led by a point at the end of Q1.
The second quarter was simply a superb performance from a rotation of 6 players, all of whom were under 15s. Conor Ryan brushed aside recent concerns about injury to deliver his most complete quarter of basketball in over a season, orchestrating the offence with great control, and playing fantastic containment defence alongside Matthew Mulholland and then Niall Hurson in the front-court. Conor Cooke and Kieron Connolly are really beginning to blossom as a 4 & 5 tandem, and capitalised on the hustle defense of their team-mates to dominate paint, and in particular the offensive boards. But Conn Doherty was again the pulse of this unit, serving up his usual contribution of intangibles, getting his hands on deflections, keeping balls alive for second-chance opportunities, and deservedly paced the back end of the quarter with a quick 6 points. Star broke the game open in this quarter to lead 21-39 at the short horn.
Queens dug in manfully in the third period, and with great defense being shown at both ends, scores were harder to come by. But this quarter served up the Starbucks play of the game, courtesy of a revitalised Niall McGinnity. Cleaning yet another defensive board, and with no outlet available as CJ Fulton was being tightly marked, McGinnity took responsibility for the transition offence himself, dribbling out to the half-way line before serving up a text-book 25 feet pass to the streaking Peter Henvey who executed the fast-break lay up. The pair put in strong performances all-round, and most noteworthy was their field goal percentage for this game, both of them shooting over 60%. Food for thought on shot selection, guys.
What was most pleasing for the coaching staff was the focus the team maintained as the game played out, as each play was contested with no regard paid to what had gone before. And this was needed, as Queens, led by Dunford, Rooney and O'Rourke continued to drive their team on. But Star got great performances from each and every player, and closed the game out in the fourth quarter by 16 points to 6. Holding Queens to 16 points in 3 quarters was a sure sign that they found their defensive mojo again, and more of this will be required as the season reaches its climax.
7 December 2015 Star v Queens
Star produced a solid performance against a talented Queens team, and got back on track with a W at the Gaaaden on a scoreline of 49 - 40.
It was a decent response to the disappointment of the previous game vs Steelers, but the coaching team feel strongly that there's a considerable way to go before this team can say they've produced a strong, clinical performance, as we get to the mid-point of the season.
Niall McGinnity made some amends for abysmal free-throw shooting in the previous game, making 4-6 attempts in his first quarter effort, and alongside Mattie Mulholland and Peter Henvey, got Star off on a reasonable footing in the first quarter. But excellent shooting from J McKinney helped Queens stay right in the hunt, scoring 7 0f their 12 points. Star welcomed back Conor Cooke from recent illness, and he took over the second quarter single-handedly, scoring 10 points and hauling in 6 boards to set himself up for an important double-double contribution on his return to fitness (he finished with 12 & 10). Star led by 22 - 17 at the short horn.
The third period remained tight as both teams removed their Passerelle shackles, and in a very enjoyable to watch competitive quarter, the real Peter Henvey showed up to remind everybody of his undoubted talent, asserting himself on the offensive boards and putting in a great defensive effort against the Queens guard M. Rooney. Conn Doherty continued his solid, consistent play, making some crucial defensive interceptions and offensive boards, and Star got great production from their back-court rotations of CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan and Matthew Mulholland. Nevertheless, the game remained tight, but finally momentum swung decidedly in Star's favour with two huge offensive rebound put-backs from Kieron Connolly, who is beginning to show his undoubted ability as he becomes familiar with the Star systems. Star managed to separate themselves from a determined Queens team early in the fourth quarter, and despite a late flourish from M. Rooney, were able to ride out a nine point win at the buzzer.
A decent response, as was said. But as the team break for Christmas, the coaching staff will be hoping for a much improved focus in training over the second half of the season, as there still hasn't been anything close to a sustained performance from this team to date this season. It's back to the grind in the Gaaaden from Monday 4th January...
29 November 2015 Star v Blackwater Steelers
After two fairly facile wins against Letterkenny Blaze & Tigers, Star welcomed old adversaries Blackwater Steelers to the Gaaaden. Never an easy game, this one proved to be no different, and in fact Steelers recorded a memorable - and thoroughly deserved - victory on a scoreline of 57 - 60.
Star struggled from the outset to find any rhythm offensively, and from the first quarter onward, inability to execute on the simple plays, and in particular lay-ups and free-throws, proved very costly to Star by the end. Not to take anything away from Steelers performance though, which was simply superb. As they always do, Steelers brought their game on to the floor, and their ever-improving team, led by stalwarts A. O'Connor, C.Fitzgerald & C. McCrystal played every possession like their lives depended on it, and on this occasion Star could not find a response.
Steelers seized the initiative in the first quarter, leading by 9. Star came back into the game with a decent 2nd quarter showing, to lead 32-31 at the short horn, CJ Fulton, Mattie Mulholland and Conn Doherty steadying the ship with some solid plays. The game remained tight by the end of three quarters, again only a point separating the teams, so it was all to play for in the final quarter. But Star continued to not take simple opportunities, missing chippies around the rim and clanking double figures of free-throw attempts, and as the game came down to the closing plays, it needed a 3-pointer from Conor Ryan to tie the game at 57-57 with a minute to go. However, Steelers showed great character and nerve to take their opportunities, and Andy O'Connor made 1 from 2 from the line to leave 3 points in it with a possession to go. Star called time to try and get a play to take the game to overtime, but fittingly were not able to execute to even get a proper look against tigerish defence from Steelers, and the horn blew to record a memorable win for Steelers, which they duly celebrated.
Time for Star to reflect on a poor performance, and a realisation that the hard work must begin again, as just too many players were resting on laurels and expecting the game to come to them. A harsh reality check hopefully for some, and it will be interesting to see how they respond in the next game.
7 November 2015 Star v Tyrone Towers
Star U-16s tipped off the new BNI season with a comprehensive victory over Tyrone Towers in St. Malachy's Gaaaden on a very wet Sunday afternoon, emerging victorious on a scoreline of 51 - 12.
Retaining only the services of 4 of the team from last year, it was quite a new look u-16 version that stepped out on the floor, with 7 of last year's u-14s getting their first taste of the action, and also it was a pleasure to welcome the services of new recruit Kieran Connolly, back for another year in Ireland. It was fitting that Kieran scored the first basket of the new season, right from the tip off with a heads up play by new Captain Niall McGinnity to his 'big' partner for the Passerelle quarter, and Kieran went on to top-score with a tidy 10 points, showing nice touch around the ring and recognising quickly that if he gets out on the break, Star's guards will reward his efforts. Niall McGinnity, Peter Henvey, Dermott Maguire and Daniel Hackett, the 4 players who experienced the great run from last year's group, continued to execute on the plays initiated by CJ Fulton throughout the quarter, and Star raced out to a 22-0 lead, the Towers struggling to come to terms with the power and speed of this starting 5. CJ showcased his improved shooting stroke, helping himself to 3 deep baskets and finishing with a team-high 75% FG effort - something that will be needed if the team makes it through to the Promised Land next April.
In the second quarter, Star ran 6 new debutants to the new league, and kept the scoreboard ticking over, Conor Cooke & Conn Doherty taking over 4 & 5 duties and immediately making their presence felt. Conor Ryan & Niall Hurson took turns at running the point, and Mattie Mulholland brought his usual speed game to the wing and on defense. Ryan Scott continued his excellent form from another Rip 'n' Run camp and demonstrated his improved shot-making ability, as Star pushed the lead at the short horn to 32 - 4.
The second half was a more evenly balanced affair as Towers manfully fought for everything, but in truth it was difficult for Star to retain any level of intensity, whilst rotating all players in and out, and also trying out and working through new sets. Star controlled the quarters but were busy trying to iron out the wrinkles from several set plays, including against zone defences which were a new thing for the u-14s coming through. In the end, they ran out worthy winners 51-12 without really getting out of 3rd gear. All of the team made nice contributions at different stages, but clearly the team is still very much a work in progress at this early stage of the season.
Next up, a double-header weekend in a fortnight versus old adversaries Blackwater Steelers and Andersonstown Tigers - two good tests for progress.
Mar 20 2016 BNI ULSTER FINAL ANTRIM FORUM
Star pulled out a dramatic victory in the closing moments of a tense final against old adversaries Blackwater Steelers to successfully defend their Playoff Title, and complete the League and Cup double at the Antrim Forum, doing just enough to edge the 'W' 56-52.
But Steelers - as ever - put in a mighty performance and pushed Star all the way to the final whistle, and on another day could well have emerged victorious. From a broader perspective, it is actually fantastic to see the strides this Steelers team have made over the past two seasons, and they are truly a force to be reckoned with, which is a fine tribute to the dedication and work going on in the club, and to their coach Tom O'Connor in particular.
The difference maker, fittingly, was the superb performance of Niall McGinnity, who literally put his team on his broad shoulders and carried them over the line, dominating offensively - he accounted for 33 of Star's 56 points - and coming up with crucial defensive boards down the stretch which allowed him to punish Steelers from the charity stripe.
Star got off to a great start, carrying their form from the previous week over to the final, executing offensively and locking down hard on the defensive end. McGinnity was helped inside by the insertion of Kieran Connolly into the starting 5, who continues to contribute each time he steps on the floor. Peter Henvey was looking more like his old self too, but unfortunately took an early knock which increasingly limited his normal influence on things as the game wore on, and in fact caused him to be withdrawn from the fray later in the game. Star took control and finished the quarter well, leading 21-14. The second quarter was a more even affair, as Star began to lose momentum after their sprightly start. It seemed like a lot of the players were tired, and it is possible that some of them in fact were, given recent exertions and long trips to Cork for Ireland training duties. Baskets by Conor Ryan, Conn Doherty and Niall Hurson kept the scoreboard ticking over, but Steelers continued to stay in touch, and the half time score finished 32 - 23.
Star's coach was concerned at the interval, as the team seemed more concerned with events going on in the adjacent court where the U18 team were involved in a tense final with Phoenix, rather than focusing on their own Ulster final. It proved to be a well-founded concern, as Star came out for the second half flat and clearly not locked in to the game in hand. As expected, Steelers came out firing on all cylinders, and Star took a pummelling at both ends of the court as a resurgent Steelers roared back into contention, led by the impressive R Treanor, A O'Connor and C Fitzgerald. Star tried to find a combination that would work and regain momentum, but it proved elusive, and by the end of the third quarter it was game on, Star hanging on to a lead 41-39. With Star's Internationals all going missing in action, it was a huge effort in particular by Conn Doherty along with Kieran Connolly which kept Star in the game as Steelers took the lead for the first time with a few minutes to go on a rather fortuitous tri-fector from C McCrystal. But Star showed commendable resilience when the chips were down, and CJ Fulton successfully fed McGinnity in the post to kick start him again after a brief rest on the bench. The big man showed real nerve, going 6 for 6 from the charity stripe to put separation between Star and Steelers as time ran out, and Star pulled the game out of the bag.
It wasn't the most satisfying of wins, it has to be said, though in fairness Star did miss the influence of a sick Matthew Mulholland on proceedings, along with the forced withdrawal of Peter Henvey. Nevertheless, full credit to Steelers who were superb on the day and, if not for a gargantuan performance by MVP McGinnity, could have taken the honours deservedly.
But if Star are to do anything at the all-Irelands shortly, it is going to take a fully focused effort to compete at the top table, and certainly lessons are there to be learned for the whole group, if they care to reflect on the day's proceedings.
Mar 13 2016 BNI Final Fours Star v Queens
Star produced by far their slickest performance of the season, and gave those who came to watch a glimpse of the formidable firepower and talent of this particular squad, as they ruthlessly took out a quality Queens team in the first of the BNI semi-final Playoffs. Enjoying home-court advantage in St. Malachy's 'Gaaaden', they rolled to a near 40 point victory on a scoreline of 61 -22.
There were so many positives and talking points about this performance, but the most satisfying feature was the consistency of each individual player in the squad of 11 when they were called into the game, underlining the sheer depth of talent the club have at this age group.
Led by the 3 amigos, the Senior guys Niall McGinnity, Peter Henvey and Dermy Maguire - who accounted for all bar one basket of the scores in the first quarter - the team put together a comprehensive demonstration of mean defence and high-level execution offence as the game unfolded, preventing Queens from getting any foothold in the game at all. CJ Fulton pulled the strings for the first quarter 5, and set the tempo from the get-go, releasing Peter Henvey for a fast-break lay-up. The Derminator Maguire went 2 for 2 from both corners off nicely run offences, and Niall McGinnity established himself in the paint, where he earned his free throws and took full advantage as Star raced into a 20 -5 lead at the end of the first quarter.
If this was an excellent quarter, it was at least equalled by the performance of the 2nd Quarter Passerelle team, as Star kept their foot down on the peddle and accelerated away from a reeling queens team. Matthew Rooney put in a typically brave effort to try and stem the tide in this quarter, hitting 5 points from the charity stripe to go along with a pair from Cormac O'Rourke, but it proved impossible to stem the momentum Star had generated. Kieran Connolly put in an excellent shift and started proceedings off with a nice move inside. Conor Ryan had an excellent game at both ends of the floor, and is really buzzing at just the right time. And Conn Doherty, Ryan Scott and Niall Hurson all put in their best performances of the season, playing their roles to absolute perfection, as Queens could just not see any let up from the relentless power plays on both ends. The score line was 41- 14 at the short horn.
Queens changed things up as they went into the 3rd quarter, showing some zone defence which helped tighten things up, as Star hit a bit of a lull offensively and missed some good-look shots. But Star's defence ensured there was no way back into the game for Queens, as Mattie Mulholland, Conor Ryan and Niall Hurson each took turns to keep M. Rooney contained, allowing Peter Henvey and Conn Doherty in particular to play the passing lanes and initiate and execute fast-breaks. In fact, it would be difficult to single out anyone from a quite comprehensive defensive performance, as CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan, Niall Hurson, Mattie Mulholland, Ryan Scott, The Derminator and Peter Henvey created havoc in the open court, and Niall McGinnity, Conor Cooke, Kieran Connolly and Conn Doherty dominated the paint at both ends. Perhaps the greatest feat that could be said is that the team forced a complete shut out in the 4th quarter, something this observer can't remember seeing in literally 30 years of basketball, as make no mistake about it, this Queens team are a formidable team on their day.
It was simply an excellent all-round performance from each player, which combined proved too much for a valiant Queens team. If the team can find any level of consistency at this level, they can look forward to the BNI Final, and beyond when they represent Ulster in the up-coming All-Ireland playoffs. For the first time in several seasons, the Star coaching staff couldn't nominate a game MVP, as a case could have been made for any number of the players. A fine all-round performance.
Mar 06 2016 Star v Andersonstown Tigers
A comfortable win in the last game of the league, Star cruised to a 56-23 win. Despite missing CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan & Conor Cooke for Irish Training duties across town in Methody, Star had more than enough in reserve to take the 'W', though Tigers were without J Summersgill also, which reduced their offensive firepower.
It's now officially the Business end of the season, roll on the playoffs....
21 Feb 2016 Steelers v Star
Star avenged their only defeat of the season in the penultimate game, a league rematch versus Blackwater Steelers, and with it took their first silverware of the season, becoming league champions with a good win in Monaghan, taking the 'W' 52 - 36.
As ever, it didn't come easy, as Steelers did what Steelers do, putting in a gritty performance, in the knowledge that the winner of this game would become League Champions. The first quarter was predictably a tight affair, Steelers getting good offensive power from K McAdam and the reliable Andy O'Connor. But Niall McGinnity also put a marker down early, rattling in 8 of Star's 14 first quarter points, and beasting on the boards. Helped mainly by a solid back-court of CJ Fulton and Mattie Mulholland, Star edged the first quarter 14-13. The second quarter remained tight, and the game swung to and fro as Steelers found some offensive rhythm. Conn Doherty and Kieran Connolly kept the scoreboard ticking over, but Star were guilty of missing too many chippies around the ring, and this enabled Steelers to come back and in fact take a lead at the short horn, on a scoreline of 24-22.
A tactical switch by the coaching team for the start of the third quarter however changed the dynamic for Star, and with the Passerelle shackles off, Star really turned up the heat, locking down defensively as a unit and starting to get a better up-tempo pace established. With Mattie Mulholland and then Conor Ryan digging in defensively on Steelers main offensive threat, and Niall McGinnity, Kieran Connolly and Conor Cooke starting to dominate the boards, Star broke the game open, taking the quarter 15 - 3. Steelers struggled to respond as the momentum swung in Star's favour, Peter Henvey coming alive to begin to dominate as the game opened up more and his power in transition became evident. It was fitting that he nailed all three of this free-throws as the clock ran out for the quarter and he got fouled on a tri-fector.
Steelers typically fought right to the end, as the fourth quarter played out, but Star kept a firm grip on the tempo of this game, and continued to execute well on the offensive end to keep Steelers at bay. With 2 minutes to go, CJ Fulton 'daggered' a tri-fector to put the game beyond doubt, and Star came away with a well-deserved victory 52 - 36. It was a great team effort, and pleasing to see everyone making fine contributions. But the performance of Niall McGinnity - again - was a joy to watch. Putting in two back-to-back performances over the weekend against the best teams in the league was a testament to the levels of performance he can produce, and fantastic to watch. The onus is now on him to establish this level of performance on a consistent basis, and for the rest of the guys to match this level in their own individual performances, bringing their best game to the team's collective. If they can do this, this team has a real chance to do some damage at the next level, which is what they have been working towards all season.
Playoffs here we come, then the fun starts with the All-Irelands.
20 Feb 2016 Star v Phoenix
Following a fairly straightforward win over Tyrone Towers, Star returned to St Malachy's Gaaaden for a rematch with Phoenix, who last week recorded a notable victory over Blackwater Steelers, as the season reaches its climax. So a keenly contested game was anticipated, and what indeed was served up, Star ultimately prevailing for the 'W', 54 - 34.
Star got off to a reasonable start, and Niall McGinnity immediately put his mark on the game, rattling off 10 points in the first quarter, and dominating the boards on both ends. Star signalled their intentions by going at Phoenix from the start, attacking the paint and led by Niall McGinnity and Peter Henvey. However, a failure to convert on multiple opportunities meant that Phoenix were able to hang in, and the first quarter finished 15 - 8.
The second quarter was unfortunately more of the same, as the second quarter Passerelle five failed to convert multiple opportunities, and the tempo of the game was too slow, preventing Star getting into their normal rhythm. Kieran Connolly and Conn Doherty managed to nail a few field goals, but the quarter finished 9 - 7, Star only showing a pretty poor 24 points at half-time for a lot of effort.
Star picked it up more in the second half, and despite the best efforts of C Mason, B Lynn and P Corr, Star started to pull away more in the second half. Niall McGinnity put in an undisputed MVP performance, carrying the team with a game high 30 points, and again it was noteworthy that ALL of his points were in the paint or the charity stripe. He was simply unrecognisable from the player who went through the motions in Dungannon leisure centre only a fortnight ago, and this is the real challenge for him and in fact all the team - to put in performances like this on a consistent basis, irrespective of the opposition, demanding and setting high standards on a nightly basis.
In fact, McGinnity was involved in the Starbucks Play of the game, seeing over the top of the defence to hit Peter Henvey on a beautiful back-door cut, which he duly converted. Despite running all 10 players in over the 4th quarter, Star still put in a decent finish to score 16 points, and pulled away from a valiant Phoenix effort to take the game by 20.
Next up, the much awaited return match with old rivals Steelers, never an easy match, but one which the team has been waiting for since their one and only defeat earlier in the season.
31 Jan 2016 Phoenix v Star
Star played the second of two games over the weekend when they made the short trip over to Methody to play Phoenix, emerging victorious with a well-earned 'W' on a scoreline 44-30.
Again minus their captain Niall McGinnity, things got tougher when Conor Ryan fell awkwardly early in the second quarter and injured his hand, so Star had to reach deep to fashion this win, getting noteworthy performances across the team.
The first quarter Passerelle 5 put in a much-improved effort compared to the previous day vs Blaze, CJ Fulton playing with a better focused and assertive mind-set, and instantly took control of the tempo. Conn Doherty had a superb quarter, going off for 10 points, hitting 4 for 4 from the charity-stripe and supplying much-needed intensity, along with Daniel Hackett, and the team finished the quarter up 15 - 3.
The second quarter was a more even affair, with Phoenix coming back strongly into the game. Star paid the price for yet again not finishing well at the rim, and missing more free-throw attempts, and this, combined with missing the drive and offensive punch of Conor Ryan after his enforced exit, allowed Phoenix to get a foot-hold back into the game. Niall Hurson stepped up to the plate to run the offense, showcasing his steady improvement as the season progresses, and Ryan Scott nailed an important trey to check the Phoenix momentum just when the team needed a lift, following up on a great display the day before vs Blaze. Star led by 23 - 14 at the short horn.
Again the third quarter was evenly contested as the game ebbed and flowed. C Mason and B Lynn posed problems for Star on the defensive end. CJ Fulton and Matthew Mulholland continued to keep the defensive pressure on the perimeter, and finally Peter Henvey awoke from his slumbers to put his mark on the game, attacking the rim and scoring in the paint, before squeezing in a buzzer-beater trey to give Star back the momentum. Still Phoenix wouldn't fold the tents, and came again at Star in the fourth. But Kieran Connolly made the Starbucks play of the game, corralling a defensive board before beating Phoenix down the floor in transition for CJ Fulton to find him with a nifty pass over the top and the chance for the and-one (shame he didn't make it, again the team struggled somewhat from the free-throw line). Dermott Maguire finished Phoenix off with a dagger trey from the wing, polishing off a great contribution on the defensive end, and Star ran out winners 44 -30.
Positives and negatives from the weekend games:- The team showed their depth in despatching two good teams in Blaze and Phoenix, and showed they could handle both zone and man-to-man defenses as required. Transition game was better, and generating opportunities and scoring from the perimeter has definitely improved in the last few games. Some fine individual performances from CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan, Conn Doherty, Matthew Mulholland and Kieron Connolly, whilst Daniel Hackett, Ryan Scott,Dermott Maguire and Niall Hurson have put in their best games of the season. However, the team's inability to focus for more than small passages of play at a time is a real worry for the coaching team, and this team is crying out for someone to emerge as a Leader, to drive them to the next level. One of these days the team will all come on to the floor with a united and determined mindset, and show what they are capable off over the course of a game. When the players start to realise there is a direct connection between missed lay-ups, missed free-throws, missed screens in set-plays, being out of position in offenses and end/side-line plays, and missing and messing around in lay-up drills, fast-break drills, shooting drills, and not staying connected to the game when they're on the bench, then the real deal team will be there for all to see.
29 Jan 2016 Star v Blaze
6 Jan 2016 Queens v Star
Star got the new year off on a satisfactory note with a focused and disciplined performance in the return leg of the back-to-backs with Queens, taking the 'W' at the PEC 32-65.
It must be said that all eleven players gave a great account of themselves when put in to perform their role, which was quite simply the most pleasing aspect of the victory from the coaching team's perspective. As the team enter the business end of the season, the call for a greater collective effort, for holding each other accountable for their performances, and for a simple no-nonsense approach, asked for at training, manifested itself as the team took to the court.
As ever, the first quarter was a tough, competitive affair, Queens bringing their undoubted talent to their home floor, and the atmosphere was crackling for a good game. Tom Dunford topped and tailed the first quarter with good scores, and assisted by the industrious Matthew Rooney, kept the Queens scoreboard ticking over, the pair accounting for all 16 of their first quarter points. However, Star didn't shirk from their task, and led by their captain Niall McGinnity, took the game to Queens, executing well on the offensive end and playing very disciplined defense. Star led by a point at the end of Q1.
The second quarter was simply a superb performance from a rotation of 6 players, all of whom were under 15s. Conor Ryan brushed aside recent concerns about injury to deliver his most complete quarter of basketball in over a season, orchestrating the offence with great control, and playing fantastic containment defence alongside Matthew Mulholland and then Niall Hurson in the front-court. Conor Cooke and Kieron Connolly are really beginning to blossom as a 4 & 5 tandem, and capitalised on the hustle defense of their team-mates to dominate paint, and in particular the offensive boards. But Conn Doherty was again the pulse of this unit, serving up his usual contribution of intangibles, getting his hands on deflections, keeping balls alive for second-chance opportunities, and deservedly paced the back end of the quarter with a quick 6 points. Star broke the game open in this quarter to lead 21-39 at the short horn.
Queens dug in manfully in the third period, and with great defense being shown at both ends, scores were harder to come by. But this quarter served up the Starbucks play of the game, courtesy of a revitalised Niall McGinnity. Cleaning yet another defensive board, and with no outlet available as CJ Fulton was being tightly marked, McGinnity took responsibility for the transition offence himself, dribbling out to the half-way line before serving up a text-book 25 feet pass to the streaking Peter Henvey who executed the fast-break lay up. The pair put in strong performances all-round, and most noteworthy was their field goal percentage for this game, both of them shooting over 60%. Food for thought on shot selection, guys.
What was most pleasing for the coaching staff was the focus the team maintained as the game played out, as each play was contested with no regard paid to what had gone before. And this was needed, as Queens, led by Dunford, Rooney and O'Rourke continued to drive their team on. But Star got great performances from each and every player, and closed the game out in the fourth quarter by 16 points to 6. Holding Queens to 16 points in 3 quarters was a sure sign that they found their defensive mojo again, and more of this will be required as the season reaches its climax.
7 December 2015 Star v Queens
Star produced a solid performance against a talented Queens team, and got back on track with a W at the Gaaaden on a scoreline of 49 - 40.
It was a decent response to the disappointment of the previous game vs Steelers, but the coaching team feel strongly that there's a considerable way to go before this team can say they've produced a strong, clinical performance, as we get to the mid-point of the season.
Niall McGinnity made some amends for abysmal free-throw shooting in the previous game, making 4-6 attempts in his first quarter effort, and alongside Mattie Mulholland and Peter Henvey, got Star off on a reasonable footing in the first quarter. But excellent shooting from J McKinney helped Queens stay right in the hunt, scoring 7 0f their 12 points. Star welcomed back Conor Cooke from recent illness, and he took over the second quarter single-handedly, scoring 10 points and hauling in 6 boards to set himself up for an important double-double contribution on his return to fitness (he finished with 12 & 10). Star led by 22 - 17 at the short horn.
The third period remained tight as both teams removed their Passerelle shackles, and in a very enjoyable to watch competitive quarter, the real Peter Henvey showed up to remind everybody of his undoubted talent, asserting himself on the offensive boards and putting in a great defensive effort against the Queens guard M. Rooney. Conn Doherty continued his solid, consistent play, making some crucial defensive interceptions and offensive boards, and Star got great production from their back-court rotations of CJ Fulton, Conor Ryan and Matthew Mulholland. Nevertheless, the game remained tight, but finally momentum swung decidedly in Star's favour with two huge offensive rebound put-backs from Kieron Connolly, who is beginning to show his undoubted ability as he becomes familiar with the Star systems. Star managed to separate themselves from a determined Queens team early in the fourth quarter, and despite a late flourish from M. Rooney, were able to ride out a nine point win at the buzzer.
A decent response, as was said. But as the team break for Christmas, the coaching staff will be hoping for a much improved focus in training over the second half of the season, as there still hasn't been anything close to a sustained performance from this team to date this season. It's back to the grind in the Gaaaden from Monday 4th January...
29 November 2015 Star v Blackwater Steelers
After two fairly facile wins against Letterkenny Blaze & Tigers, Star welcomed old adversaries Blackwater Steelers to the Gaaaden. Never an easy game, this one proved to be no different, and in fact Steelers recorded a memorable - and thoroughly deserved - victory on a scoreline of 57 - 60.
Star struggled from the outset to find any rhythm offensively, and from the first quarter onward, inability to execute on the simple plays, and in particular lay-ups and free-throws, proved very costly to Star by the end. Not to take anything away from Steelers performance though, which was simply superb. As they always do, Steelers brought their game on to the floor, and their ever-improving team, led by stalwarts A. O'Connor, C.Fitzgerald & C. McCrystal played every possession like their lives depended on it, and on this occasion Star could not find a response.
Steelers seized the initiative in the first quarter, leading by 9. Star came back into the game with a decent 2nd quarter showing, to lead 32-31 at the short horn, CJ Fulton, Mattie Mulholland and Conn Doherty steadying the ship with some solid plays. The game remained tight by the end of three quarters, again only a point separating the teams, so it was all to play for in the final quarter. But Star continued to not take simple opportunities, missing chippies around the rim and clanking double figures of free-throw attempts, and as the game came down to the closing plays, it needed a 3-pointer from Conor Ryan to tie the game at 57-57 with a minute to go. However, Steelers showed great character and nerve to take their opportunities, and Andy O'Connor made 1 from 2 from the line to leave 3 points in it with a possession to go. Star called time to try and get a play to take the game to overtime, but fittingly were not able to execute to even get a proper look against tigerish defence from Steelers, and the horn blew to record a memorable win for Steelers, which they duly celebrated.
Time for Star to reflect on a poor performance, and a realisation that the hard work must begin again, as just too many players were resting on laurels and expecting the game to come to them. A harsh reality check hopefully for some, and it will be interesting to see how they respond in the next game.
7 November 2015 Star v Tyrone Towers
Star U-16s tipped off the new BNI season with a comprehensive victory over Tyrone Towers in St. Malachy's Gaaaden on a very wet Sunday afternoon, emerging victorious on a scoreline of 51 - 12.
Retaining only the services of 4 of the team from last year, it was quite a new look u-16 version that stepped out on the floor, with 7 of last year's u-14s getting their first taste of the action, and also it was a pleasure to welcome the services of new recruit Kieran Connolly, back for another year in Ireland. It was fitting that Kieran scored the first basket of the new season, right from the tip off with a heads up play by new Captain Niall McGinnity to his 'big' partner for the Passerelle quarter, and Kieran went on to top-score with a tidy 10 points, showing nice touch around the ring and recognising quickly that if he gets out on the break, Star's guards will reward his efforts. Niall McGinnity, Peter Henvey, Dermott Maguire and Daniel Hackett, the 4 players who experienced the great run from last year's group, continued to execute on the plays initiated by CJ Fulton throughout the quarter, and Star raced out to a 22-0 lead, the Towers struggling to come to terms with the power and speed of this starting 5. CJ showcased his improved shooting stroke, helping himself to 3 deep baskets and finishing with a team-high 75% FG effort - something that will be needed if the team makes it through to the Promised Land next April.
In the second quarter, Star ran 6 new debutants to the new league, and kept the scoreboard ticking over, Conor Cooke & Conn Doherty taking over 4 & 5 duties and immediately making their presence felt. Conor Ryan & Niall Hurson took turns at running the point, and Mattie Mulholland brought his usual speed game to the wing and on defense. Ryan Scott continued his excellent form from another Rip 'n' Run camp and demonstrated his improved shot-making ability, as Star pushed the lead at the short horn to 32 - 4.
The second half was a more evenly balanced affair as Towers manfully fought for everything, but in truth it was difficult for Star to retain any level of intensity, whilst rotating all players in and out, and also trying out and working through new sets. Star controlled the quarters but were busy trying to iron out the wrinkles from several set plays, including against zone defences which were a new thing for the u-14s coming through. In the end, they ran out worthy winners 51-12 without really getting out of 3rd gear. All of the team made nice contributions at different stages, but clearly the team is still very much a work in progress at this early stage of the season.
Next up, a double-header weekend in a fortnight versus old adversaries Blackwater Steelers and Andersonstown Tigers - two good tests for progress.
All-Ireland Under 16 A Championship Playoffs at Oblate Hall - Inchicore, Dublin
The final u16 report of the season
Star u16s finished a truly memorable season with a fantastic performance at the All-Ireland Championships in Dublin at the weekend.
It was fitting that the Playoffs were held in Oblate Hall Inchicore, scene of so many memorable games down through the years of basketball in Ireland, and this current group of Belfast Star u-16s kept the flame burning bright with a series of performances which drew high praise from all corners of the country.
The records will state that the team finished in a very commendable 5th place, just missing the semi-finals by a point to Templeogue in their pool, then taking out a formidable Moycullen side in their play-off game. But this wouldn’t come close to telling the full story.
Game 1 - vs Neptune
Drawn in the classic ‘Group of Death’ – (and by the way, Basketball Ireland have to take a long look at themselves and how they ‘seed’ their pools, one of a string of jokes over the weekend’s logistics) – where there were FOUR number one seeds in a pool of 5, and ONE in the other, the team were faced with a stiff task of making it through to the final four.
Nevertheless, the team put the effort in during the run-up to the weekend, and early bells on Saturday Star departed Belfast for their first match of the pool against roasting hot favourites, Neptune, complete with their ‘5 Irish Internationals’ blah blah blah… What followed was one of the best performances from any junior Star team - ever.
It didn’t look that way at the start though, as Neptune roared out of the blocks in the first quarter with their infamous Transition game in full flight. To Star’s coach Brian McCreanor, it was reminiscent of the Neptune days of yore when the likes of Tom O’Sullivan would get out on the break and punish teams with a brand of slick, no-nonsense ball. Star took the body punches full on, and tried manfully to stick to their game-plan, but at the end of the first quarter trailed 13-4, 1 free-throw and a ‘trey’ from John Smye their only response on the scoreboard – but the ‘trey’ was a flicker of light that was a sign of things to come…
Star settled into the game and to the task in hand in the 2nd Quarter, and with the trademarks that have become associated with this particular team – grit, resilience and character – started taking the game right back to Neptune, playing them all over the court. ‘Le John’ Smye started to heat up, connecting on 3 for 4 from the perimeter, Peter Henvey was finally rewarded for his offensive aggression and got to the line, and Niall McGinnity, Michael McWilliams and John Moran more than held their own on the boards. Excellent defensive pressure started to ask questions of Neptune’s erstwhile ‘composure’, and Eoin Nagle led the counter-attack well, slipping in for 4 quick points at the end of the half. Star trailed by 11 at half-time, but the third quarter was when they hit back, and hard. The defensive pressure started to tell on Neptune and Star capitalized, led by ‘Le John’ & 'Kawhi' Henvey, the pair accounting for all 17 of Star’s points in the 3rd quarter, and going into the fourth, Star trailed by only 4.
Star got it to 2 points with 3 minutes to go, and Neptune were clearly rattled, Ethan Gibson and J Mo making fine contributions to their team-mates, and the upset was on. But Neptune’s experience and depth told in the end, and they pulled away in the last minute with a few fast-break lay-ups from Sean Jenkins to finally put Star to the sword, on a score-line of 44-36.
It was a hugely impressive performance from Star though, which was recognised by all at the tournament, and it achieved in the first game the main objective for this team – that they showed that they belonged at the top table of basketball in Ireland. Given Neptune dismantled everyone else (except for Sligo in the final) by an average of 25 points and going deep into their roster, they stuck to their top eight for this game, and though clearly the strongest team in the country, had to accept a bloody nose for their troubles in the opening game of the finals.
Game 2 - vs Limerick Celtics
Star moved on to the second game, and, almost inevitably after the highs of the first, laboured somewhat to a grind win versus Limerick Celtics. Leading comfortably by the 3rd quarter, Star took the foot off the pedal and let Limerick back in, and the game was tied going into the last 15 seconds. But a lovely play by John Smye, attacking the paint and slipping a beautiful pass to a rolling Niall McGinnity for the score as time ran out, ensured Star pocketed their first win, 39-37. It came at a bit of a cost though, as both guards Eoin Nagle and Ethan Gibson picked up leg injuries, going into the third game versus Templeogue.
Game 3 - vs Templeogue
This was a tough game in every sense, as Star struggled out of the gates on this one, and failed to deal with the 6-6, 20 stone behemoth M Gilleran inside, who went on to score half of the team’s points from within 3 feet of the rim. Again, questions need to be asked as the officials' interpretations of the rules, whereby the 3 second call was administered only once in the entire game. So, despite the best efforts of Niall McGinnity, J Mo and Michael McWilliams, it proved a bridge too far, and Star themselves took one on the chin, losing a winnable game 49-32, though the starters were pulled early in the fourth for what was going to be a major challenge vs old rivals Maree from Galway for the right to play for 5/6 spot.
Game 4 - vs Maree
This was the last game of the day, where you could see everyone including the table officials and referees had put in long hours, in fairness, but for this group it was a critically important game to show they were in the top handful of teams in the country. This time Star got off to a great start, and jumped immediately on Maree, and built a commanding lead in the first half. But again, and likely with fatigue setting in, some poor decision-making and specifically execution around the ring, and more woeful free-throw shooting, allowed their opponents back into the game (free-throw shooting has been the achilles heel for the team all season, despite a lot of coaching attention). But just when it was needed to give John Smye and Peter Henvey some much-needed support on the offensive end, back-to back ‘treys’ from John Moran provided Star with much-needed daylight in the clutch 4th quarter, and Star again held on to get a fantastic win, setting themselves up to take out the other Galway team Moycullen the following day for 5th place.
Game 5 - vs Moycullen
The game was given added spice just before tip-in, when word filtered back to Dublin that Moycullen had stolen the u-14 AICC Final off Star by a point, yet again amidst fierce controversy on late-game calls – so it was that this became a factor in Star’s coach’s pre-match talk.
Moycullen hoped to capitalize on the rumoured physical struggles of Star’s guard tandem of Eoin Nagle & Ethan Gibson – but if this was the desired intention, it had the opposite effect as the pair saved their best performances for last, dove-tailing perfectly throughout the game to cooly handle any pressure Moycullen tried to exert over the full court, and showcasing their own defensive credentials with great effect at both ends of the floor.
But they were not alone – Niall McGinnity saved his best for last and completely dominated the paint, netting a double-double in truncated minutes (7/8 minute quarters to allow for all games, again this needs to be considered?), and again ably assisted by Michael McWilliams who has really announced himself with this breakout season, and of course John Moran, another who has blossomed into a player equally comfortable playing both inside and outside – what a nice luxury for a coach to have.
John Smye signed off with another 16 points and clinical demonstration of shooting, from all over the court and not just from beyond the arc, and must be considered the finest marksman in the country after a fine personal performance. And Peter Henvey proved – again – that there are very few players in the country who could stand along with him as one of the best two-way players at u-15 level, very simply a force.
Star ran out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 43-35, cementing their place at the top table of basketball in Ireland at this level, and simply showing that they belonged - ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVE THEY HAD SET THEMSELVES BACK IN SEPTEMBER.
Star - a team that's all for one... and all for all
Of course the team extends beyond these guys mentioned, and very important and valuable contributions were made here and throughout the season by Daniel Hackett, Przemak Kwiecien, Kamil Kolos, Dermott Maguire & Darragh McGinn. A few of these will get another bite at this level next year and therefore this experience will stand them in great stead.
Watch out - there's a lot more to come form these talented guys
In summary, this team delivered more than what was expected in this memorable season, going undefeated in Ulster and back-to-back BNI champions, and representing their Province at the ‘A’ Championships ‘Ball’.
Whilst all the focus is (rightly) on the quality of basketball in Cork and, to a lesser extent, Dublin, people around Basketball Ireland now know there are two emerging teams coming out of Regions where there is less focus and less investment, namely our good friends in Sligo and ourselves, and hopefully this will be an incentive to carry the torch on and encourage our friends across all BNI clubs, so that worthy and proper competition continues to be provided beyond the banks of the rivers Lee and Liffey.
u12 Squad Shows Winning Ways!
On Sunday 22nd March Star entered 2 teams into the basketball NI under 12 blitz held at La Salle. The squad was split into Star White and Star Blue and the draw put each team into a separate group.
The challenge laid down by the coaches was for the 2 teams to meet each other in the final. The boys rose to the challenge and each team was undefeated in their pool. The final was on - Star v Star!
The match was tight with the Blue squad winning the 1st quarter and the Whites coming back and taking the 2nd. The Blues scored a few more than the Whites in the 3rd and final period and finished up winning by 5 points.
Special mention should be made for our MVP's Indial Alvarado for the Blue team and Tiernan McCormick for the Whites. The quality of basketball played was excellent and the fact that both teams made the final shows how many great young players we have.
Each team had a mix of our current under 12 squad and some players waiting to step up to the squad for next year to replace those moving on. The coaches are already excited about the prospects for next season.
This Sunday sees the end of our under 12 season with the final versus Blackwater at 10 am in the Antrim forum - our aim is to bring the trophy home!
The challenge laid down by the coaches was for the 2 teams to meet each other in the final. The boys rose to the challenge and each team was undefeated in their pool. The final was on - Star v Star!
The match was tight with the Blue squad winning the 1st quarter and the Whites coming back and taking the 2nd. The Blues scored a few more than the Whites in the 3rd and final period and finished up winning by 5 points.
Special mention should be made for our MVP's Indial Alvarado for the Blue team and Tiernan McCormick for the Whites. The quality of basketball played was excellent and the fact that both teams made the final shows how many great young players we have.
Each team had a mix of our current under 12 squad and some players waiting to step up to the squad for next year to replace those moving on. The coaches are already excited about the prospects for next season.
This Sunday sees the end of our under 12 season with the final versus Blackwater at 10 am in the Antrim forum - our aim is to bring the trophy home!
u16 Semi-Final: STAR 73 BLACKWATER STEELERS 56 @ ST MALACHY’S ‘GAAADEN’
Star advanced to the final of the U16 BNI Playoffs by defeating Steelers in the semi-finals with a comprehensive performance at the Gaaaden, winning on a 73-56 scoreline.
As expected, they got a stern test from a Steelers team which finished the league campaign strongly, and it was important that they came out with the right mindset from the beginning, as any complacency would have made this a potential banana-skin game. But driven on by Eoin Nagle, who has really blossomed over the last few months of the season, Star’s opening 5 went about their business clinically, as John Smye brought his ‘A’ game, rattling in 15 points in the opening quarter (before finishing with a game-high 26). Michael McWilliams & Conor Cooke more than held their own against the dangerous front-line of Steelers, Conor rising to the challenge of playing up again following the disappointing late withdrawal of Kamil Kolos on the morning of the game. However his compatriot Przemeak Kwiecien put in a solid performance to complement the opening 5’s effort, and the quarter ended with Star in control 21-7.
The first offence of the 2nd quarter was run for Peter Henvey, who duly delivered and proceeded to stamp his authority on the game with a powerful performance on both ends of the floor. John Moran again showed his versatility by slotting into the 4 spot alongside Niall McGinnity, and Star were able to get good looks offensively both inside and outside. With Ethan Gibson controlling the tempo, both Darragh Maginn and Dermott Maguire were able to make significant contributions particularly defensively, Dermott capping off a nice role, connecting on his trademark catch-and-shoot mid-range ‘J’ off a beautiful assist from Peter Henvey. Star closed the half on top 40-20.
Yet again though, Steelers weren’t going anywhere, and the second half was contested right to the death. With Andrew O’Connor and R McAllister driving them, Steelers fought hard to get back into the game, and with the benefit of some long-range bombs and a lapse in concentration from Star, the teams matched eachother score for score. John Smye and Peter Henvey carried the offensive load as Star were guilty of some poor finishing around the rim, and with multiple substitutions the rhythm of the game became quite disrupted. Nevertheless, there were some good passages of play and it was pleasing to see certain players ‘making the next play’ after making a mistake or suffering a questionable call, or whatever. It was fitting that the last score of the game fell to Conor Cooke who calmly stroked a nice mid-range ‘J’, capping a fine all-round contribution. The final score read 73-56, and this Steelers team could have been worthy finalists if the standings had worked out differently.
Star now face old friends Queens in the final next Sunday at the Antrim Forum, before setting off for Dublin to represent Ulster in the All-Ireland ‘A’ Championships, which has been the main goal all year. It will take another focused performance as they seek to stay undefeated in what has been probably the most competitive age-bracket of all the Junior competitions this year. But there has been clear development throughout the squad as the year has progressed, and the first sign of a few players putting their hands up as leaders, so here is hoping one more clinical performance will bring the rewards the team have worked hard for and deserve.
All-Ireland Premier League: Neptune 78 - Star 88 - Sat 7 March
"20-point final quarter turnaround sees Star win big in Cork"
By David Kelly, Belfast Telegraph
Belfast Star are enjoying a fine end to the season, delivering another stunning performance to defeat Neptune in Cork, 88-78. With only one game of the regular season to go, Star will now look ahead to the Champions Trophy with confidence after an incredible 20-point turnaround in the fourth quarter on Saturday night.
Star looked to have been in control of the match, but allowed the momentum to swing the way of Neptune who took a 10-point lead into the final quarter.
Star head coach Neal McCotter said: "I have said for a long time that this is the kind of thing we can do to teams when we click. To be down by 10 and then win by 10 was just great.
"We had three key players missing so that makes the win even more encouraging. In the fourth quarter we got our running game together and ran them ragged.
"I blame myself for some of the losses this season. It took me too long to find the winning formula for this team. We've finished sixth, but it could have been higher."
Keelan Cairns picked the right time to have his best performance of the season, chipping in with 20 points and numerous rebounds, while American Ricky Taylor had 26 and Neal's brother Brian - who had 10 points - also impressed with his all-round game.
"We have Swords next and it'd be nice to finish the regular season with a win to set us up for the Champions Trophy," said McCotter. BFG Neptune looked comfortable entering the final quarter when commanding a 10-point lead over Belfast Star but ended up losing 88-78 at Neptune Stadium.
Neptune player-coach Ger Noonan showed his disappointment as he reflected on his team’s latest defeat. “We were comfortable and suddenly our scoring dried up coming down the stretch with our intensity dropping and I am bitterly disappointed to have lost,” Noonan said.
Star Assistant coach Danny Fulton felt they came good at the right time. “It was a scrappy affair but once we got among Neptune in the fourth quarter I was always confident we would win,” Fulton said.
HT: Neptune 43 Star 45
For Star: Ricky Taylor 26, Keelan Cairns 20, Brian McCotter 9
For Neptune: M Bonaparte 29, I McLoughlin 19, Ger Noonan 11
Belfast Star are enjoying a fine end to the season, delivering another stunning performance to defeat Neptune in Cork, 88-78. With only one game of the regular season to go, Star will now look ahead to the Champions Trophy with confidence after an incredible 20-point turnaround in the fourth quarter on Saturday night.
Star looked to have been in control of the match, but allowed the momentum to swing the way of Neptune who took a 10-point lead into the final quarter.
Star head coach Neal McCotter said: "I have said for a long time that this is the kind of thing we can do to teams when we click. To be down by 10 and then win by 10 was just great.
"We had three key players missing so that makes the win even more encouraging. In the fourth quarter we got our running game together and ran them ragged.
"I blame myself for some of the losses this season. It took me too long to find the winning formula for this team. We've finished sixth, but it could have been higher."
Keelan Cairns picked the right time to have his best performance of the season, chipping in with 20 points and numerous rebounds, while American Ricky Taylor had 26 and Neal's brother Brian - who had 10 points - also impressed with his all-round game.
"We have Swords next and it'd be nice to finish the regular season with a win to set us up for the Champions Trophy," said McCotter. BFG Neptune looked comfortable entering the final quarter when commanding a 10-point lead over Belfast Star but ended up losing 88-78 at Neptune Stadium.
Neptune player-coach Ger Noonan showed his disappointment as he reflected on his team’s latest defeat. “We were comfortable and suddenly our scoring dried up coming down the stretch with our intensity dropping and I am bitterly disappointed to have lost,” Noonan said.
Star Assistant coach Danny Fulton felt they came good at the right time. “It was a scrappy affair but once we got among Neptune in the fourth quarter I was always confident we would win,” Fulton said.
HT: Neptune 43 Star 45
For Star: Ricky Taylor 26, Keelan Cairns 20, Brian McCotter 9
For Neptune: M Bonaparte 29, I McLoughlin 19, Ger Noonan 11
All-Ireland Premier League: Star 96 - DCU Saints 67 - Sun 1 March
by David Kelly, Belfast Telegraph
Belfast Star coach Neal McCotter watched his side produce the kind of performance he has been waiting for all season when they thumped DCU Saints 96-67 at MCB.
After a tight first half, Star were simply irresistible in the second as they ran the Dubliners ragged with clinical passing followed by the kind of finishing that could have transformed their All Ireland Premier league position.
While the Top Four play-offs are now out of reach, this was the perfect way to end their Tayto-sponsored home campaign - the biggest margin over the Saints for some time.
While American Ricky Taylor will naturally grab the limelight with his 29-point tally, this was a day when every Star player moved up a level and the end product was there for all to see.
Coach McCotter said: "It was a great performance - it just shows you want is in this team and when you think of the matches that we allowed to slip away our season could have been a lot different.
"If we can keep this group of players for next season then we can be a real threat to anyone."
Belfast Star coach Neal McCotter watched his side produce the kind of performance he has been waiting for all season when they thumped DCU Saints 96-67 at MCB.
After a tight first half, Star were simply irresistible in the second as they ran the Dubliners ragged with clinical passing followed by the kind of finishing that could have transformed their All Ireland Premier league position.
While the Top Four play-offs are now out of reach, this was the perfect way to end their Tayto-sponsored home campaign - the biggest margin over the Saints for some time.
While American Ricky Taylor will naturally grab the limelight with his 29-point tally, this was a day when every Star player moved up a level and the end product was there for all to see.
Coach McCotter said: "It was a great performance - it just shows you want is in this team and when you think of the matches that we allowed to slip away our season could have been a lot different.
"If we can keep this group of players for next season then we can be a real threat to anyone."
U14: Belfast Star 54 Queens 24 - Fri 27 Feb
Star welcomed cross town rivals Queens to The Gaaden and, encouraged by a very good performance from the U16 team, were determined to keep their undefeated record intact.
A great defensive effort from Mattie Mulholland to keep talented school mate Cormac O'Rourke quiet offset a slow start at the offensive end.
Some excellent unselfish play led to some good opportunities but few scores.....11-4 at the end of the lowest scoring quarter all year but crucially only gave up 4 points. The second quarter unit were spurred on by Conor 'Uptempo' Ryan and Conn 'Rebound' Doherty, but Liam Brady was also outstanding at both ends of the floor. Star led 21-7 at the short hooter. Queens got an outstanding performance from K Connolly who hurt Star inside and in typical Queens fashion they kept competing hard. However, Star's strength in depth saw Paddy Doran, Niall Hurson, and Ronan O'Neill all make significant contributions at the defensive end. Conn Doherty led the team with 10 points with Mattie Mulholland on 8. K Connolly led all scorers with 14 for Queens.
A great defensive effort from Mattie Mulholland to keep talented school mate Cormac O'Rourke quiet offset a slow start at the offensive end.
Some excellent unselfish play led to some good opportunities but few scores.....11-4 at the end of the lowest scoring quarter all year but crucially only gave up 4 points. The second quarter unit were spurred on by Conor 'Uptempo' Ryan and Conn 'Rebound' Doherty, but Liam Brady was also outstanding at both ends of the floor. Star led 21-7 at the short hooter. Queens got an outstanding performance from K Connolly who hurt Star inside and in typical Queens fashion they kept competing hard. However, Star's strength in depth saw Paddy Doran, Niall Hurson, and Ronan O'Neill all make significant contributions at the defensive end. Conn Doherty led the team with 10 points with Mattie Mulholland on 8. K Connolly led all scorers with 14 for Queens.
U16: STAR 66 QUEENS 46 @ St MALACHY’S ‘GAAADEN’ - Fri 27 Feb
Star got the weekend off to a great start with a solid display against Queens, coming out on top 66-46 in a well-contested game against their good rivals.
Eoin Nagle, who was touch-and-go during the week having sprained his ankle in the game vs Blaze, typically led his team from the get-go, and Star’s opening 5 quickly got into a nice groove, racing off to an 8-2 start in the first few minutes.
Michael McWilliams, who is blossoming into a leader particularly on the defensive end, and his fellow paint-protector Kamil Kolos, dominated the airways, allowing John Smye and Ethan Gibson to play pressure-ball, and this resulted in successive turnovers and easy scores as Star took command. However, Queens coach Gavin Garland marshaled his troops, and behind the ever-steady Matthew Rooney, Queens came back into the game. Star finished the quarter on a nice run though, as John Smye connected on his first ‘trey’- a sign of things to come. Star up 20-6 at the short horn.
The second quarter unit picked up the baton, this time with ‘J Mo’ on point, Daniel Hackett and Dermot Maguire on the wings, and the deadly duo Henvey & McGinnity playing inside. This quarter contained the Subway ‘Play of the Game’ – an offensive rebound from Peter Henvey going in where he had no right to, and skied over everybody including his team-mate Niall McGinnity to claim the board, to the gasps of everyone watching (including the ref!). Star kept the scoreboard ticking over, John Moran again making some sweet plays and not settling for the long-distance low-percentage bomb, and Daniel Hackett connecting on a nice mid-range J. Then CJ Fulton made a typical valuable contribution as he stepped comfortably up to this level, capping his performance with a corner-swish from a designed end-line play. But the score of the quarter was reserved for the end, a sweet shot-fake & one-bounce dribble from Dermott Maguire, creating separation from his defender before tickling the twine as the buzzaa sounded. Star led at the half 35-14.
But Queens fought back again, characteristically behind the play of Matthew Rooney and Ryan Murtagh, and helped by a big contribution from Daniel Leggett on the boards, and the 3rd quarter was ding-dong, both teams going at it with all they had. Star’s bigs were guilty of a lapse in concentration, and paid the penalty for not boxing out as Queens started to get inside for offensive put-backs. It took the deadly shooting of Le John Smye to keep momentum going for Star, as he exploded for 16 of Star’s 19 points of the quarter, on his way to leading everyone with a 21 point haul for the game. What was most pleasing was that he mixed it up nicely, showing great decision-making when pulling up from outside, as well as going strong to the basket.
Star kept the up-tempo pace right through the 4th quarter, and needed to keep their concentration level high to thwart a concerted Queens comeback. They eventually ran out winners on a score-line of 66-46. All in all, a solid performance from the team, who stand on the verge of an unbeaten league campaign with one to go. Whilst there were some patches of play that were very pleasing on the eye, there were also times where the team was guilty of sloppy play and silly errors, and against good teams like Queens they were deservedly punished. But this team is edging closer and closer to a breakout performance from start to finish, and it will be great for all to see when this game comes round – hopefully sooner rather than later.
Eoin Nagle, who was touch-and-go during the week having sprained his ankle in the game vs Blaze, typically led his team from the get-go, and Star’s opening 5 quickly got into a nice groove, racing off to an 8-2 start in the first few minutes.
Michael McWilliams, who is blossoming into a leader particularly on the defensive end, and his fellow paint-protector Kamil Kolos, dominated the airways, allowing John Smye and Ethan Gibson to play pressure-ball, and this resulted in successive turnovers and easy scores as Star took command. However, Queens coach Gavin Garland marshaled his troops, and behind the ever-steady Matthew Rooney, Queens came back into the game. Star finished the quarter on a nice run though, as John Smye connected on his first ‘trey’- a sign of things to come. Star up 20-6 at the short horn.
The second quarter unit picked up the baton, this time with ‘J Mo’ on point, Daniel Hackett and Dermot Maguire on the wings, and the deadly duo Henvey & McGinnity playing inside. This quarter contained the Subway ‘Play of the Game’ – an offensive rebound from Peter Henvey going in where he had no right to, and skied over everybody including his team-mate Niall McGinnity to claim the board, to the gasps of everyone watching (including the ref!). Star kept the scoreboard ticking over, John Moran again making some sweet plays and not settling for the long-distance low-percentage bomb, and Daniel Hackett connecting on a nice mid-range J. Then CJ Fulton made a typical valuable contribution as he stepped comfortably up to this level, capping his performance with a corner-swish from a designed end-line play. But the score of the quarter was reserved for the end, a sweet shot-fake & one-bounce dribble from Dermott Maguire, creating separation from his defender before tickling the twine as the buzzaa sounded. Star led at the half 35-14.
But Queens fought back again, characteristically behind the play of Matthew Rooney and Ryan Murtagh, and helped by a big contribution from Daniel Leggett on the boards, and the 3rd quarter was ding-dong, both teams going at it with all they had. Star’s bigs were guilty of a lapse in concentration, and paid the penalty for not boxing out as Queens started to get inside for offensive put-backs. It took the deadly shooting of Le John Smye to keep momentum going for Star, as he exploded for 16 of Star’s 19 points of the quarter, on his way to leading everyone with a 21 point haul for the game. What was most pleasing was that he mixed it up nicely, showing great decision-making when pulling up from outside, as well as going strong to the basket.
Star kept the up-tempo pace right through the 4th quarter, and needed to keep their concentration level high to thwart a concerted Queens comeback. They eventually ran out winners on a score-line of 66-46. All in all, a solid performance from the team, who stand on the verge of an unbeaten league campaign with one to go. Whilst there were some patches of play that were very pleasing on the eye, there were also times where the team was guilty of sloppy play and silly errors, and against good teams like Queens they were deservedly punished. But this team is edging closer and closer to a breakout performance from start to finish, and it will be great for all to see when this game comes round – hopefully sooner rather than later.
u14 Match Reports
Belfast Star at Blackwater Steelers (February 15th) - Steelers 28 Star 43
The start of a two game road trip away to the ever competitive Steelers was always going to be a massive challenge, but a challenge to which the young guns were equal.
The boys jumped out of the blocks quickly with Conor Cooke rebounding and running the floor very well to get on the end of dimes dropped by CJ Fulton. Mattie Mulholland was playing the passing lanes on defence and Star led by 12 after 7 minutes.
The second unit took a little more time to get into their stride offensively but Conn Doherty, who has improved tremendously this year kept Gavin McPhillips of Steelers quiet which was a big bonus. Conor Ryan began to up the tempo and Star eased out to a 15 point half time lead, 24-9.
Steelers came back hard at the start of the 3rd with McPhillips and Karl Gallagher to the fore. Star regained their composure with valuable contributions from Ronan O'Neill and Connor McWilliams. The second half was a little scrappy but any day you can walk out of St Macartan's with a win is a good day.
Belfast Star at Letterkenny Blaze (February 22nd) Blaze 24 Star 39
The U14 team made the long trek north to play Donegal's finest, and faced a match up with one of the leagues finest players in Padraig McGettigan.
Star hit the ground running and Mattie 'the glove' Mulholland did a great job on McGettigan which allowed CJ Fulton to conduct proceedings from the point. Ryan Scott, a candidate for MIP, knocked a couple of jumpers down and Star led by 10 early on.
The second quarter saw more of the same and Star broke the game wide open with Liam 'smarts' Brady, Niall Hurson who is playing with more confidence at the offensive end and the conductor Conor Ryan running the show. With Conn Doherty and Ryan 'Gilfer' Gilfedder rebounding and running the game was effectively over at HT. Blaze, primarily through Padraig McGettigan, kept competing and made some in roads but Star were always in control and ran out winners by 15 points.
The start of a two game road trip away to the ever competitive Steelers was always going to be a massive challenge, but a challenge to which the young guns were equal.
The boys jumped out of the blocks quickly with Conor Cooke rebounding and running the floor very well to get on the end of dimes dropped by CJ Fulton. Mattie Mulholland was playing the passing lanes on defence and Star led by 12 after 7 minutes.
The second unit took a little more time to get into their stride offensively but Conn Doherty, who has improved tremendously this year kept Gavin McPhillips of Steelers quiet which was a big bonus. Conor Ryan began to up the tempo and Star eased out to a 15 point half time lead, 24-9.
Steelers came back hard at the start of the 3rd with McPhillips and Karl Gallagher to the fore. Star regained their composure with valuable contributions from Ronan O'Neill and Connor McWilliams. The second half was a little scrappy but any day you can walk out of St Macartan's with a win is a good day.
Belfast Star at Letterkenny Blaze (February 22nd) Blaze 24 Star 39
The U14 team made the long trek north to play Donegal's finest, and faced a match up with one of the leagues finest players in Padraig McGettigan.
Star hit the ground running and Mattie 'the glove' Mulholland did a great job on McGettigan which allowed CJ Fulton to conduct proceedings from the point. Ryan Scott, a candidate for MIP, knocked a couple of jumpers down and Star led by 10 early on.
The second quarter saw more of the same and Star broke the game wide open with Liam 'smarts' Brady, Niall Hurson who is playing with more confidence at the offensive end and the conductor Conor Ryan running the show. With Conn Doherty and Ryan 'Gilfer' Gilfedder rebounding and running the game was effectively over at HT. Blaze, primarily through Padraig McGettigan, kept competing and made some in roads but Star were always in control and ran out winners by 15 points.
All-Ireland Premier League: Star 65 Templeogue 67, 22 February
By David Kelly, Belfast Telegraph
In a sense, Star’s last-second defeat at the hands of Templeogue summed up the side's All Ireland Premier League season – so close and yet so far.
So often during this campaign, Star have had the opportunity of victory within their grasp and somehow contrived to let it slip away. Yesterday’s heartbreaking loss left the team’s play-off hopes dashed.
For Conor Johnston, who produced his best performance in a Star shirt, it was particularly painful as he seemed to have thrown his team-mates an over-time lifeline. Trailing 65-62 with five seconds remaining, Johnston slammed home a big three – one of seven he hit in the match.
But American Isaac Gordon nicked it for Templeogue on the buzzer.
Afterwards, Conor said: “It’s gut-wrenching to lose that way – really tough to take.”
In a sense, Star’s last-second defeat at the hands of Templeogue summed up the side's All Ireland Premier League season – so close and yet so far.
So often during this campaign, Star have had the opportunity of victory within their grasp and somehow contrived to let it slip away. Yesterday’s heartbreaking loss left the team’s play-off hopes dashed.
For Conor Johnston, who produced his best performance in a Star shirt, it was particularly painful as he seemed to have thrown his team-mates an over-time lifeline. Trailing 65-62 with five seconds remaining, Johnston slammed home a big three – one of seven he hit in the match.
But American Isaac Gordon nicked it for Templeogue on the buzzer.
Afterwards, Conor said: “It’s gut-wrenching to lose that way – really tough to take.”
u 16: Blaze 46 - Star 64, @ Loreto Convent Letterkenny, 22 February
Star made their annual winter track over the snowy Glenshane Pass for their last away match of the season, and returned with a satisfactory win over a plucky Blaze team who characteristically gave nothing away easily.
Le John Smye wasted no time reacquainting himself with the team, rattling off a quick 13 points in the first quarter as Star’s pressure defense and willingness to make the extra pass made life difficult for the hosts.
The returning Kamil Kolos also contributed handsomely, snaffling up rebounds and getting in on the scoring act with 5 points including an ‘and 1’ play. But more needs to be done in understanding positional awareness on both ends of the floor, as on several occasions Blaze were able to evade the frontcourt pressure and get all the way to the basket, which was cause for some concern. Nevertheless, with Michael McWilliams anchoring the defense and Eoin Nagle being his usual feisty self, Star ended the first quarter up 21-12.
The second quarter saw Blaze have their best patch of play in the game, as they clawed their way back into the game when Star’s defense went missing for a period. It was a case of trying to put into play certain defensive sets, which the coaching staff acknowledged was a work in progress. Nevertheless, Star soon settled down as a much more focused deadly duo of Peter Henvey & Niall McGinnity got into it, both showing great decision-making in offense as the crowd got a glimpse of their inside & outside game. Ethan Gibson upped the intensity on Blaze’s backcourt players, and Star, through John Moran and Dermot Maguire’s strong running, started to get away on multiple fast-break opportunities that turned the tide back in Star’s favour. Star increased their lead at the half to 38-26.
Both teams really went at it in the third quarter, and the defensive intensity affected the players on both teams. Star again were experimenting with different pressure sets, and you always felt there was another gear there if needed. Their cause was not helped when Eoin Nagle had to come off with a sore ankle, but with Ethan Gibson and John Moran growing in confidence playing the ‘1’ in addition to other spots, this was less a problem than it might have been back at the start of this season. Star kept the scoreboard ticking over, as 8 different players scored in the second half. Peter Henvey, Niall McGinnity and Michael McWilliams’ influence on the game grew as they dominated the boards, and Przemak Kwiecien and Kamil Kolos were rewarded for getting out on the break, Przemak rewarding himself by scoring from the free-throw line, though Kamil needs to get a few more up in practice after an uncharacteristic air-ball! The Royal Mail-sponsored delivery of the game came courtesy of a text-book ‘oop’ from Ethan Gibson to a deserved Michael McWilliams, who had put in a great shift particularly on the defensive end.
All-in-all, a solid performance from everyone across the team, reflected in the fact that the scoring was evenly distributed across the team, John Smye top-scoring on 15 though he was used sparingly in the fourth quarter as he and a few others were getting ready to go back-to-back in the follow-up u18 match. It was nearly impossible to select an MVP, as everyone put in a great shift, but on this occasion the nod was given to Peter Henvey for his all-round contributions on both ends. Next up, Star welcome Queens to St Malachy’s ‘Gaaaden’ this coming Friday, for a game you won’t want to miss.
Le John Smye wasted no time reacquainting himself with the team, rattling off a quick 13 points in the first quarter as Star’s pressure defense and willingness to make the extra pass made life difficult for the hosts.
The returning Kamil Kolos also contributed handsomely, snaffling up rebounds and getting in on the scoring act with 5 points including an ‘and 1’ play. But more needs to be done in understanding positional awareness on both ends of the floor, as on several occasions Blaze were able to evade the frontcourt pressure and get all the way to the basket, which was cause for some concern. Nevertheless, with Michael McWilliams anchoring the defense and Eoin Nagle being his usual feisty self, Star ended the first quarter up 21-12.
The second quarter saw Blaze have their best patch of play in the game, as they clawed their way back into the game when Star’s defense went missing for a period. It was a case of trying to put into play certain defensive sets, which the coaching staff acknowledged was a work in progress. Nevertheless, Star soon settled down as a much more focused deadly duo of Peter Henvey & Niall McGinnity got into it, both showing great decision-making in offense as the crowd got a glimpse of their inside & outside game. Ethan Gibson upped the intensity on Blaze’s backcourt players, and Star, through John Moran and Dermot Maguire’s strong running, started to get away on multiple fast-break opportunities that turned the tide back in Star’s favour. Star increased their lead at the half to 38-26.
Both teams really went at it in the third quarter, and the defensive intensity affected the players on both teams. Star again were experimenting with different pressure sets, and you always felt there was another gear there if needed. Their cause was not helped when Eoin Nagle had to come off with a sore ankle, but with Ethan Gibson and John Moran growing in confidence playing the ‘1’ in addition to other spots, this was less a problem than it might have been back at the start of this season. Star kept the scoreboard ticking over, as 8 different players scored in the second half. Peter Henvey, Niall McGinnity and Michael McWilliams’ influence on the game grew as they dominated the boards, and Przemak Kwiecien and Kamil Kolos were rewarded for getting out on the break, Przemak rewarding himself by scoring from the free-throw line, though Kamil needs to get a few more up in practice after an uncharacteristic air-ball! The Royal Mail-sponsored delivery of the game came courtesy of a text-book ‘oop’ from Ethan Gibson to a deserved Michael McWilliams, who had put in a great shift particularly on the defensive end.
All-in-all, a solid performance from everyone across the team, reflected in the fact that the scoring was evenly distributed across the team, John Smye top-scoring on 15 though he was used sparingly in the fourth quarter as he and a few others were getting ready to go back-to-back in the follow-up u18 match. It was nearly impossible to select an MVP, as everyone put in a great shift, but on this occasion the nod was given to Peter Henvey for his all-round contributions on both ends. Next up, Star welcome Queens to St Malachy’s ‘Gaaaden’ this coming Friday, for a game you won’t want to miss.
All Ireland Premier League: Killester 83 – Star 81
By David Kelly, Belfast Telegraph – 16 February 2015
Belfast Star coach Danny Fulton praised his "magnificent seven-and-a-half" after they went down fighting in a heartbreaking last gasp 83-81 defeat to second placed Killester in the All Ireland Premier League.
Fulton, taking the reins with head coach Neal McCotter away on business, had travelled to Dublin with a weakened team and it didn't get any better when at the end of the first quarter Keelan Cairns had to leave the match through injury.
Then in the third quarter Conor Quinn hurt his ankle and had to take a break before returning for the majority of the fourth quarter of the match.Nevertheless, Star played with real desire and intensity which had the Dubliners on the back foot in the opening half and at the break the Belfast men only trailed 41-40.
With top performances from young guns Liam Pettigrew and Matthew Jackson, Star gave themselves a real shot at an upset victory.
Ricky Taylor had two free throws to give them a three-point lead with 38 seconds remaining but only hit one and with six seconds on the clock Killester tied the game up.
Just when it seemed that overtime was inevitable, Michael Westbrookes drew a foul from American Taylor with a second remaining and he clinically slotted home the two free throws to seal victory.
Coach Fulton said: "I couldn't have been more proud of my players.
"It was a case of the magnificent seven-and-a-half when you consider that we lost Keelan at the end of the first quarter," he commented.
"Keelan was always going to be a crucial player for us so it was a big blow when we lost him," he added.
"But Liam Pettigrew and Matthew Jackson came of age at this level with two great performances. Everyone really raised their game and they didn't deserve to lose," he said.
Belfast Star coach Danny Fulton praised his "magnificent seven-and-a-half" after they went down fighting in a heartbreaking last gasp 83-81 defeat to second placed Killester in the All Ireland Premier League.
Fulton, taking the reins with head coach Neal McCotter away on business, had travelled to Dublin with a weakened team and it didn't get any better when at the end of the first quarter Keelan Cairns had to leave the match through injury.
Then in the third quarter Conor Quinn hurt his ankle and had to take a break before returning for the majority of the fourth quarter of the match.Nevertheless, Star played with real desire and intensity which had the Dubliners on the back foot in the opening half and at the break the Belfast men only trailed 41-40.
With top performances from young guns Liam Pettigrew and Matthew Jackson, Star gave themselves a real shot at an upset victory.
Ricky Taylor had two free throws to give them a three-point lead with 38 seconds remaining but only hit one and with six seconds on the clock Killester tied the game up.
Just when it seemed that overtime was inevitable, Michael Westbrookes drew a foul from American Taylor with a second remaining and he clinically slotted home the two free throws to seal victory.
Coach Fulton said: "I couldn't have been more proud of my players.
"It was a case of the magnificent seven-and-a-half when you consider that we lost Keelan at the end of the first quarter," he commented.
"Keelan was always going to be a crucial player for us so it was a big blow when we lost him," he added.
"But Liam Pettigrew and Matthew Jackson came of age at this level with two great performances. Everyone really raised their game and they didn't deserve to lose," he said.
U16: STEELERS 34 STAR 47 @ ST MACARTAN’S COLLEGE 15 February 2015
Star dug deep into their reserves to emerge with a huge victory on their annual visit to the cauldron of St Macartan’s college in Monaghan, coming away with an important ‘W’ on a score-line of 47-34.
Minus 4 of the squad, including sharpshooter John Smye and Ethan Gibson who has really upped his game in recent weeks, the coaching staff didn’t hesitate to dip into the u-14 squad and drafted up 3 players to step into the challenge that is finding a way to win in Monaghan – and boy did they step up to the plate.
Star started off quite hesitantly, though, and the first quarter developed into a bit of a slugfest. Steelers settled into their predictable physical, inside-dominated game, and actually surprised Star by playing man-to-man from the get-go. The tempo of the game didn’t suit Star, and this was reflected in the fact they missed 3-4 relatively easy ‘chippies’, passes became hesitant and at the short horn, Star deserved to be on the wrong side of a 10-6 score-line.
However, things changed when the second quarter unit got themselves into the game from the start, anchored by two huge performances from John Moran & Niall McGinnity. ‘J’ Mo showed real character, and did exactly what the coaching staff asked of him for this particular assignment, attacking the basket at the right times, making the right passes when required, and along with McGinnity owning the paint defensively. CJ Fulton injected crucially important tempo into Star’s game, and all of a sudden it was business-as-usual on both ends, Star seizing the initiative behind tough, aggressive defence and excellent transition and half-court offence. Conor Cook and Conn Doherty played like they belonged at this level, forcing turnover ball on defence and being very active and involved offensively, and the u-14s contributed to half of the points scored in the quarter. Star went in at the break 7 points up, taking the 2nd quarter 16-5.
The money quarter was a wrestling match, with momentum switching over and back multiple times. Sloppy passing by Star allowed Steelers to get back into the game, with M O’Brien and Andy O’Connor showing signs of life, and again Star relied heavily on Eoin Nagle to handle the pressure and keep the team composed. Niall McGinnity, Michael McWilliams and John Moran hung tough on the boards at this crucial juncture, and Steelers were only able to claw back one point in the quarter, setting up the 4th for the big showdown.
Steelers upped the ante by showing full-court press, and initially this unsettled Star and forced a few turnovers. But they regained their composure during a time-out, and in fact fought fire-with-fire, counter-pressing Steelers. This was the game’s sucker-punch, and Star seized the momentum and never let go. CJ Fulton gave Eoin Nagle invaluable recovery time to dictate the pace, as did Conor Cooke for Michael McWilliams. Peter Henvey bounced back from a forgettable first half to put his stamp on the game, ‘J’ Mo played out a deserved MVP performance and Daniel Hackett followed up his best game of the season with another solid contribution.
All in all, definitely the most satisfying and important performance of the season to date, as for the first time Star’s strength across the team was given a stern test by a tough opponent, and importantly for the coaching staff, the players stood up to be counted. 12 fouls vs 21 fouls reflected how well the team defended, and again they punished Steelers’ indiscretions from the charity stripe. Before the game, Star identified that this game would be won or lost in the paint, and it was hugely satisfying that Star won this contest on both ends of the floor, showing great character right across the team to attack and defend the paint like their lives depended on it. A super victory.
Minus 4 of the squad, including sharpshooter John Smye and Ethan Gibson who has really upped his game in recent weeks, the coaching staff didn’t hesitate to dip into the u-14 squad and drafted up 3 players to step into the challenge that is finding a way to win in Monaghan – and boy did they step up to the plate.
Star started off quite hesitantly, though, and the first quarter developed into a bit of a slugfest. Steelers settled into their predictable physical, inside-dominated game, and actually surprised Star by playing man-to-man from the get-go. The tempo of the game didn’t suit Star, and this was reflected in the fact they missed 3-4 relatively easy ‘chippies’, passes became hesitant and at the short horn, Star deserved to be on the wrong side of a 10-6 score-line.
However, things changed when the second quarter unit got themselves into the game from the start, anchored by two huge performances from John Moran & Niall McGinnity. ‘J’ Mo showed real character, and did exactly what the coaching staff asked of him for this particular assignment, attacking the basket at the right times, making the right passes when required, and along with McGinnity owning the paint defensively. CJ Fulton injected crucially important tempo into Star’s game, and all of a sudden it was business-as-usual on both ends, Star seizing the initiative behind tough, aggressive defence and excellent transition and half-court offence. Conor Cook and Conn Doherty played like they belonged at this level, forcing turnover ball on defence and being very active and involved offensively, and the u-14s contributed to half of the points scored in the quarter. Star went in at the break 7 points up, taking the 2nd quarter 16-5.
The money quarter was a wrestling match, with momentum switching over and back multiple times. Sloppy passing by Star allowed Steelers to get back into the game, with M O’Brien and Andy O’Connor showing signs of life, and again Star relied heavily on Eoin Nagle to handle the pressure and keep the team composed. Niall McGinnity, Michael McWilliams and John Moran hung tough on the boards at this crucial juncture, and Steelers were only able to claw back one point in the quarter, setting up the 4th for the big showdown.
Steelers upped the ante by showing full-court press, and initially this unsettled Star and forced a few turnovers. But they regained their composure during a time-out, and in fact fought fire-with-fire, counter-pressing Steelers. This was the game’s sucker-punch, and Star seized the momentum and never let go. CJ Fulton gave Eoin Nagle invaluable recovery time to dictate the pace, as did Conor Cooke for Michael McWilliams. Peter Henvey bounced back from a forgettable first half to put his stamp on the game, ‘J’ Mo played out a deserved MVP performance and Daniel Hackett followed up his best game of the season with another solid contribution.
All in all, definitely the most satisfying and important performance of the season to date, as for the first time Star’s strength across the team was given a stern test by a tough opponent, and importantly for the coaching staff, the players stood up to be counted. 12 fouls vs 21 fouls reflected how well the team defended, and again they punished Steelers’ indiscretions from the charity stripe. Before the game, Star identified that this game would be won or lost in the paint, and it was hugely satisfying that Star won this contest on both ends of the floor, showing great character right across the team to attack and defend the paint like their lives depended on it. A super victory.
All Ireland Premier League: Star 89 Dublin Inter 77 Sun 8 February
Match Report: David Kelly, Belfast Telegraph
Throughout the history of Belfast Star a strong defence has usually been the cornerstone of their success and yesterday the current crop of All Ireland Premier League players brought that to the fore in an impressive victory over Dublin Inter at MCB.
Star, who triumphed 89-77, shook off the disappointment of their defeat to Marian and gave themselves a ray of hope in their bid to make the end of season Top Four play-offs. Defeats suffered by Killester and Templeogue, who they face in the next fortnight has certainly bolstered that belief.
While American Ricky Taylor stood out with his 29-point contribution, along with seven rebounds, others weighed in with significant points. Fergal Toner notched 11, Paddy McGaharan 10, Brian McCotter eight and Keelan Cairns four and all showed real steel in defence to snuff any chance of Inter turning the game their way. Cairns, who had seven rebounds, stood up well to the physicality of the Dubliners, while McGaharan, Liam Pettigrew and Iheuk Duru all had three crucial rebounds.
Star's assistant coaches Danny Fulton and Javan Dupree had to step up to lead the team at short notice as head coach Neal McCotter was called away on business, having prepared the team all week.
"Danny and JF did a great job, we had worked the guys very hard on Friday night and they did the business when it came to match time," said McCotter. "With Killester and in particular Templeogue losing their games at the weekend we have given ourselves a glimmer of a chance to make the play-offs.
"We are away to Killester next week which is going to be a very tough game, but they are clearly beatable. After that we have Templeogue at home which, in football terms, will be seen as a six-pointer."
Throughout the history of Belfast Star a strong defence has usually been the cornerstone of their success and yesterday the current crop of All Ireland Premier League players brought that to the fore in an impressive victory over Dublin Inter at MCB.
Star, who triumphed 89-77, shook off the disappointment of their defeat to Marian and gave themselves a ray of hope in their bid to make the end of season Top Four play-offs. Defeats suffered by Killester and Templeogue, who they face in the next fortnight has certainly bolstered that belief.
While American Ricky Taylor stood out with his 29-point contribution, along with seven rebounds, others weighed in with significant points. Fergal Toner notched 11, Paddy McGaharan 10, Brian McCotter eight and Keelan Cairns four and all showed real steel in defence to snuff any chance of Inter turning the game their way. Cairns, who had seven rebounds, stood up well to the physicality of the Dubliners, while McGaharan, Liam Pettigrew and Iheuk Duru all had three crucial rebounds.
Star's assistant coaches Danny Fulton and Javan Dupree had to step up to lead the team at short notice as head coach Neal McCotter was called away on business, having prepared the team all week.
"Danny and JF did a great job, we had worked the guys very hard on Friday night and they did the business when it came to match time," said McCotter. "With Killester and in particular Templeogue losing their games at the weekend we have given ourselves a glimmer of a chance to make the play-offs.
"We are away to Killester next week which is going to be a very tough game, but they are clearly beatable. After that we have Templeogue at home which, in football terms, will be seen as a six-pointer."
U16: STAR 85 PHOENIX 30 @ St. Malachy’s Gaaaden 8 February 2015
Star brought their ‘A’ game for the return match of the back-to-back series with Phoenix when they welcomed them back to Fortress St. Malachy’s, winning in emphatic fashion 85-30.
This was the first game where the team delivered on the potential they have shown in patches this season, responding to the coaching staff’s demand for a sustained performance from start to finish, and in fairness did they ever.
Jumping on the visitors from the start, Star rattled in 10 straight in less than 2 minutes, forcing Phoenix to call time-out as their team were clearly rattled. Michael McWilliams was the main beneficiary of excellent pressure defense on the perimeter by Eoin Nagle, Ethan Gibson & John Smye, getting on the end of multiple turnovers and racking up a quick 10 points in the first quarter. Kamil Kolos demonstrated again what a problem he can pose for any team on the boards, and was one basket shy of his first double-double in the first quarter alone, scoring 8 points all off offensive boards, and gobbling up 10 rebounds in total. It finished 29-6 at the break, and it really was entertaining stuff throughout.
The 2nd Quarter five picked up where the first five left off, with John Moran orchestrating on the point, and the combination of Peter Henvey & Niall McGinnity doing their thing in the paint. The offence ran very smoothly, with John Moran, Daniel Hackett & Niall McGinnity all demonstrating good decision-making and a nice touch from the outside, and Peter Henvey beasting Phoenix inside, and even when McGinnity had to take a chill pill for a minor technicality, Przemak Kwiecien stepped in and kept things ticking over with his usual selfless team play. Score was 43-13 at the short horn.
Phoenix didn’t lie down though, and despite being short their best player from the first game, kept slugging it out, P Corr & M Dmitrov connecting on a few treys to keep things interesting. But even with making wholesale 5 on/ 5off changes, Star kept their foot on the pedal, and it was great – and important – to see the players the whole way across the team posting great individual performances, and a few like Kamil Kolos and Daniel Hackett playing their best game of the season. Phoenix just couldn’t do much with the juggernaut coming at them, and Star closed the 4th Quarter off 23-4, making the final scoreline 85-30, a great performance.
The team responded to the challenge the coaching staff put to them at training following the previous two wishy-washy performances, and hopefully they can build on this as they head off for back-to-back away fixtures in Monaghan and Donegal. For the first time the team showed that they can play without relying heavily on the scoring of John Smye, as he was intentionally spared in this game to keep him fresh for the upcoming all-Ireland school game this week. The scoring load was evenly distributed across the team, with 6 other players chipping in between 8 & 18 points, Michael McWilliams top-scoring with the 18. But when this Star team play like this, it will be difficult for any team in the league to live with them, and with Eoin Nagle, Ethan Gibson & John Moran driving things in the back-court, Star’s 3 ‘bigs’ McWilliams, McGinnity & Kolos dominating the paint, and Le John and Kawhi Henvey playing at their customary high level, the team is in good shape to develop as planned.
This was the first game where the team delivered on the potential they have shown in patches this season, responding to the coaching staff’s demand for a sustained performance from start to finish, and in fairness did they ever.
Jumping on the visitors from the start, Star rattled in 10 straight in less than 2 minutes, forcing Phoenix to call time-out as their team were clearly rattled. Michael McWilliams was the main beneficiary of excellent pressure defense on the perimeter by Eoin Nagle, Ethan Gibson & John Smye, getting on the end of multiple turnovers and racking up a quick 10 points in the first quarter. Kamil Kolos demonstrated again what a problem he can pose for any team on the boards, and was one basket shy of his first double-double in the first quarter alone, scoring 8 points all off offensive boards, and gobbling up 10 rebounds in total. It finished 29-6 at the break, and it really was entertaining stuff throughout.
The 2nd Quarter five picked up where the first five left off, with John Moran orchestrating on the point, and the combination of Peter Henvey & Niall McGinnity doing their thing in the paint. The offence ran very smoothly, with John Moran, Daniel Hackett & Niall McGinnity all demonstrating good decision-making and a nice touch from the outside, and Peter Henvey beasting Phoenix inside, and even when McGinnity had to take a chill pill for a minor technicality, Przemak Kwiecien stepped in and kept things ticking over with his usual selfless team play. Score was 43-13 at the short horn.
Phoenix didn’t lie down though, and despite being short their best player from the first game, kept slugging it out, P Corr & M Dmitrov connecting on a few treys to keep things interesting. But even with making wholesale 5 on/ 5off changes, Star kept their foot on the pedal, and it was great – and important – to see the players the whole way across the team posting great individual performances, and a few like Kamil Kolos and Daniel Hackett playing their best game of the season. Phoenix just couldn’t do much with the juggernaut coming at them, and Star closed the 4th Quarter off 23-4, making the final scoreline 85-30, a great performance.
The team responded to the challenge the coaching staff put to them at training following the previous two wishy-washy performances, and hopefully they can build on this as they head off for back-to-back away fixtures in Monaghan and Donegal. For the first time the team showed that they can play without relying heavily on the scoring of John Smye, as he was intentionally spared in this game to keep him fresh for the upcoming all-Ireland school game this week. The scoring load was evenly distributed across the team, with 6 other players chipping in between 8 & 18 points, Michael McWilliams top-scoring with the 18. But when this Star team play like this, it will be difficult for any team in the league to live with them, and with Eoin Nagle, Ethan Gibson & John Moran driving things in the back-court, Star’s 3 ‘bigs’ McWilliams, McGinnity & Kolos dominating the paint, and Le John and Kawhi Henvey playing at their customary high level, the team is in good shape to develop as planned.
u16: PHOENIX 34 STAR 48 @ Methody 31 January 2015
Star returned to Methody for the second time in a week to take on Phoenix, now playing out of there too, and again won this time with a bit more to spare. But again it was not before they made life difficult for themselves, again allowing their opponents back into the game after a commanding opening quarter, and this is something the coaching staff are going to have to look at.
Playing without Niall McGinnity who was donning tights and committing to a soccer match, but welcoming back Kamil Kolos from a bout of flu, Star again came out flying and with Le John Smye in good form, took quick control of the first quarter. The team seemed to be set to put in a determined shift following the inconsistent performance of the previous match, and Eoin Nagle, John Moran, Michael McWilliams and a healthier Peter Henvey played solid as Star took a commanding lead, 20 - 6.
However, Phoenix roared back into the game behind the strong play of Pearse Braidan , who gave Star’s ‘5’ Kamil Kolos a torrid time on his return. Again the main problem was a lack of composure on both ends of the floor, and poor decision-making particularly on offense, and this is something the team is going to have to work hard on to improve its ability to execute the gameplan. The score at half-time was 23-18, and the game was back on.
To their credit, Star seized back the initiative in the money quarter, behind the strong play of Eoin Nagle and John Smye, who went on to score a team-high 21 points, and with some notable contributions from Darrah McGinn and John Moran. Peter Henvey and Kamil corralled some important rebounds, and again Star edged out 40-22 by the end of the third. But Phoenix refused to lie down, and in fact edged the final quarter 12-8 with some gritty play, and again it was an inability to execute that caused Star to stutter down the stretch.
The direction of travel is positive as the team move to 6 and 0, but a lot of work needs to be put in to enable the team to deliver the performance they are so capable of, and if they put together 4 solid quarters, the rest of the league will really begin to sit up and take notice. Can they put together an unbeaten season…?
Star returned to Methody for the second time in a week to take on Phoenix, now playing out of there too, and again won this time with a bit more to spare. But again it was not before they made life difficult for themselves, again allowing their opponents back into the game after a commanding opening quarter, and this is something the coaching staff are going to have to look at.
Playing without Niall McGinnity who was donning tights and committing to a soccer match, but welcoming back Kamil Kolos from a bout of flu, Star again came out flying and with Le John Smye in good form, took quick control of the first quarter. The team seemed to be set to put in a determined shift following the inconsistent performance of the previous match, and Eoin Nagle, John Moran, Michael McWilliams and a healthier Peter Henvey played solid as Star took a commanding lead, 20 - 6.
However, Phoenix roared back into the game behind the strong play of Pearse Braidan , who gave Star’s ‘5’ Kamil Kolos a torrid time on his return. Again the main problem was a lack of composure on both ends of the floor, and poor decision-making particularly on offense, and this is something the team is going to have to work hard on to improve its ability to execute the gameplan. The score at half-time was 23-18, and the game was back on.
To their credit, Star seized back the initiative in the money quarter, behind the strong play of Eoin Nagle and John Smye, who went on to score a team-high 21 points, and with some notable contributions from Darrah McGinn and John Moran. Peter Henvey and Kamil corralled some important rebounds, and again Star edged out 40-22 by the end of the third. But Phoenix refused to lie down, and in fact edged the final quarter 12-8 with some gritty play, and again it was an inability to execute that caused Star to stutter down the stretch.
The direction of travel is positive as the team move to 6 and 0, but a lot of work needs to be put in to enable the team to deliver the performance they are so capable of, and if they put together 4 solid quarters, the rest of the league will really begin to sit up and take notice. Can they put together an unbeaten season…?
All Ireland Premier League: UCD Marian 82, Belfast Star 71 - Sat 31 January 2015
UCD Marian established an early lead in this All Ireland Premier League contest and maintained it throughout the four quarters. It was the inside play of Preston Ross and Neil Baynes that did the most damage with the pair combining for 41 points. For Star, the fine shooting of Ricky Taylor kept the side in the contest but a run on their hosts never looked likely.
UCD Marian Top Scorers: Preston Ross 25, Neil Baynes 16, Dan James 15
Belfast Star Top Scorers: Ricky Taylor 26, Conor Quinn 13, Paddy McGaharan 13
HT: UCD Marian 48, Belfast Star 37
UCD Marian established an early lead in this All Ireland Premier League contest and maintained it throughout the four quarters. It was the inside play of Preston Ross and Neil Baynes that did the most damage with the pair combining for 41 points. For Star, the fine shooting of Ricky Taylor kept the side in the contest but a run on their hosts never looked likely.
UCD Marian Top Scorers: Preston Ross 25, Neil Baynes 16, Dan James 15
Belfast Star Top Scorers: Ricky Taylor 26, Conor Quinn 13, Paddy McGaharan 13
HT: UCD Marian 48, Belfast Star 37
U20 Men’s National Cup Final: Moycullen 70, Belfast Star 60
Report: Jarlath O'Loughlin
Moycullen avenged defeat to Belfast Star in the Men’s under 18 cup final two years ago, emerging victorious at the end of this years under 20 cup final on a scoreline of 70-60. In a game which took until the second half to come to life, Stephen O’Brien was Moycullen’s key player, with his long range shooting proving vital in the Galway’s sides win. Poor shot selection and plenty of missed chances both from long and short range were the theme of the opening quarter as both sides adjusted to the cup final stage. Belfast Star captain Conor Quinn was the most energetic, regularly attacking at speed and causing problems for Moycullen, who held the lead at the end of a cagey first quarter 17-13.
Moycullen’s inability to make shots in the first quarter was not evident in the second. Two well taken three-point shots from Stephen O’Brien, signified that whatever Belfast could do in terms of attacking basketball, Moycullen could match. Belfast continued the theme of pacey attacking, John Largey getting them off the mark with two points and a free throw. This was Belfast’s only free throw attempt in the whole first half, reflecting Moycullen’s ability to defend efficiently.
Half-time arrived, with Moycullen leading on a score of 35-31. Stephen O’Brien was by now beginning to cause serious problems for the Belfast defence. He weaved his way into a scoring position and scored the close range shot to open the third quarter. Liam Pettigrew and John Largey kept the scoreboard moving on Belfast’s behalf but, O’Brien again showed his dominance when scoring a layup following a steal on Sean Joe Rooney.
Conor Quinn and Rory Gilson exchanged scores for both sides as the game took on a rhythm of one team scoring, followed by the other. Moycullen kept the Belfast at bay for the remainder, finishing with a 50-47 lead. That rhythm found its way into the final quarter, but Moycullen always held the advantage. O’Brien landed yet another three-pointer to open up a five point lead for the Galway side, as the tension rose. Rory Gilson scored a layup off a fast defensive break after severe Belfast pressure, which turned out to be the final nail in Belfast’s coffin. Moycullen prevailed in the end by 70-60.
“There's good steel in these boys,” said Moycullen Coach Nollaig Cunningham. “We knew Star were good. The lads have played against them in schools and club. It was always going to be a tough game. The pressure defence tired them out so we could knock down the shots in the end. That's how it works.”
Moycullen 70, Belfast Star 60
Moycullen Top Scorers: Rory Gilson 17, Stephen O’Brien 15, Kyle Cunningham 14, Sean Candon 9, Joseph Tummon 9.
Belfast Star Top Scorers: Liam Pettigrew 14, John Largey 13, Conor Quinn 10, Aidan Quinn 9, Adam Ryan 8
Half Time: Moycullen 35, Belfast Star 31
MVP: Stephen O’Brien
Report: Jarlath O'Loughlin
Moycullen avenged defeat to Belfast Star in the Men’s under 18 cup final two years ago, emerging victorious at the end of this years under 20 cup final on a scoreline of 70-60. In a game which took until the second half to come to life, Stephen O’Brien was Moycullen’s key player, with his long range shooting proving vital in the Galway’s sides win. Poor shot selection and plenty of missed chances both from long and short range were the theme of the opening quarter as both sides adjusted to the cup final stage. Belfast Star captain Conor Quinn was the most energetic, regularly attacking at speed and causing problems for Moycullen, who held the lead at the end of a cagey first quarter 17-13.
Moycullen’s inability to make shots in the first quarter was not evident in the second. Two well taken three-point shots from Stephen O’Brien, signified that whatever Belfast could do in terms of attacking basketball, Moycullen could match. Belfast continued the theme of pacey attacking, John Largey getting them off the mark with two points and a free throw. This was Belfast’s only free throw attempt in the whole first half, reflecting Moycullen’s ability to defend efficiently.
Half-time arrived, with Moycullen leading on a score of 35-31. Stephen O’Brien was by now beginning to cause serious problems for the Belfast defence. He weaved his way into a scoring position and scored the close range shot to open the third quarter. Liam Pettigrew and John Largey kept the scoreboard moving on Belfast’s behalf but, O’Brien again showed his dominance when scoring a layup following a steal on Sean Joe Rooney.
Conor Quinn and Rory Gilson exchanged scores for both sides as the game took on a rhythm of one team scoring, followed by the other. Moycullen kept the Belfast at bay for the remainder, finishing with a 50-47 lead. That rhythm found its way into the final quarter, but Moycullen always held the advantage. O’Brien landed yet another three-pointer to open up a five point lead for the Galway side, as the tension rose. Rory Gilson scored a layup off a fast defensive break after severe Belfast pressure, which turned out to be the final nail in Belfast’s coffin. Moycullen prevailed in the end by 70-60.
“There's good steel in these boys,” said Moycullen Coach Nollaig Cunningham. “We knew Star were good. The lads have played against them in schools and club. It was always going to be a tough game. The pressure defence tired them out so we could knock down the shots in the end. That's how it works.”
Moycullen 70, Belfast Star 60
Moycullen Top Scorers: Rory Gilson 17, Stephen O’Brien 15, Kyle Cunningham 14, Sean Candon 9, Joseph Tummon 9.
Belfast Star Top Scorers: Liam Pettigrew 14, John Largey 13, Conor Quinn 10, Aidan Quinn 9, Adam Ryan 8
Half Time: Moycullen 35, Belfast Star 31
MVP: Stephen O’Brien
u16: QUEENS 38 STAR 40 @ Methody 26 January 2015
Star made the short trip across town to Methody for the first of two jousts with old friends Queens in a short space of time, and came away with the ‘W’ which they just about deserved, in a tight game which swung back and forth before finally settling in Star’s favour.
Star got out of the blocks well, with the new ‘numba 7’ Le John Smye connecting on his first three field goals including a trey to go 7-0 up. With Ethan Gibson playing his best game of the season, and Michael McWilliams & John Moran focused in on the job in hand, the starting 5 cantered off to a 12-2 lead by end of the first quarter, the highlight being a nice ‘oop’ to McWilliams from a side-line possession.
However, the tide turned in the second quarter, when Queens came roaring back, pouring in 16 unanswered points to take the lead, behind the strong play of Matthew Rooney & a few treys from Jordan McKinney. Eoin Nagle dug deep to steady the ship, and finally when Niall McGinnity got going Star got some momentum back and finally started to make some free-throws to sneak back into the lead by the half, 20-18.
Star finally started playing a bit more like themselves to start the third quarter, and with aggressive play and finally a bit of ball movement, started to carve out opportunities for themselves, and forcing Queens to foul, and by 2 minutes into the third quarter, team fouls were sending Star to the charity stripe. However, the team were unable to take advantage – they would end up missing 17 free throws over the game – and should really have put the game beyond reach. Inevitably, some calls started to go against them as so often happens when a team appears to be suffering a disadvantage, and Queens hung in to go into the final quarter only 3 behind.
Star pushed the lead out to 7 points, when a horrible call for an offensive foul on Le John - when he drew the foul and scored and walked to the line for his ‘and 1’ - was blown, and sure enough Queens went down the other end and hit a nice trey from Daniel Leggett – a big six point swing. To be fair, Leggett followed up with another trey from the same side, and it was a 1 point game again instead of being closed out at 10. The team regrouped again behind the solid play of Ethan Gibson and Eoin Nagle in the backcourt, and Niall McGinnity & Michael McWilliams at the 4 and 5, and after John Smye was fouled out with a few minutes to go, it was fitting that Niall scooped an offensive board to go ahead again, and Eoin connected on 1 of 2 freethrows to leave 3 in it. But it still wasn’t over yet, as Queens made one of two free throws, and when Star lost composure and turned the ball over off the ensuing in-bounds, Queens had a final chance to snatch a basket and send the game to overtime. One solid defensive play closed the game out, but not without a fright. Whilst nobody had a stand out game, Eoin Nagle was the deserved MVP with a very solid performance.
Plenty to reflect on for the team then, after this one. Whilst it was good to gut the ‘W’ out away from home against a good Queens team, the team needs to reflect on the mental lapses which caused multiple missed simple lay-ups, sloppy passing particularly from in-bounds, and of course a horde of missed free-throws. Hopefully the time allocated for shooting in the next training sessions will be taken with a bit more seriousness, as it nearly came back to bite the team in this close encounter with old friends.
Star made the short trip across town to Methody for the first of two jousts with old friends Queens in a short space of time, and came away with the ‘W’ which they just about deserved, in a tight game which swung back and forth before finally settling in Star’s favour.
Star got out of the blocks well, with the new ‘numba 7’ Le John Smye connecting on his first three field goals including a trey to go 7-0 up. With Ethan Gibson playing his best game of the season, and Michael McWilliams & John Moran focused in on the job in hand, the starting 5 cantered off to a 12-2 lead by end of the first quarter, the highlight being a nice ‘oop’ to McWilliams from a side-line possession.
However, the tide turned in the second quarter, when Queens came roaring back, pouring in 16 unanswered points to take the lead, behind the strong play of Matthew Rooney & a few treys from Jordan McKinney. Eoin Nagle dug deep to steady the ship, and finally when Niall McGinnity got going Star got some momentum back and finally started to make some free-throws to sneak back into the lead by the half, 20-18.
Star finally started playing a bit more like themselves to start the third quarter, and with aggressive play and finally a bit of ball movement, started to carve out opportunities for themselves, and forcing Queens to foul, and by 2 minutes into the third quarter, team fouls were sending Star to the charity stripe. However, the team were unable to take advantage – they would end up missing 17 free throws over the game – and should really have put the game beyond reach. Inevitably, some calls started to go against them as so often happens when a team appears to be suffering a disadvantage, and Queens hung in to go into the final quarter only 3 behind.
Star pushed the lead out to 7 points, when a horrible call for an offensive foul on Le John - when he drew the foul and scored and walked to the line for his ‘and 1’ - was blown, and sure enough Queens went down the other end and hit a nice trey from Daniel Leggett – a big six point swing. To be fair, Leggett followed up with another trey from the same side, and it was a 1 point game again instead of being closed out at 10. The team regrouped again behind the solid play of Ethan Gibson and Eoin Nagle in the backcourt, and Niall McGinnity & Michael McWilliams at the 4 and 5, and after John Smye was fouled out with a few minutes to go, it was fitting that Niall scooped an offensive board to go ahead again, and Eoin connected on 1 of 2 freethrows to leave 3 in it. But it still wasn’t over yet, as Queens made one of two free throws, and when Star lost composure and turned the ball over off the ensuing in-bounds, Queens had a final chance to snatch a basket and send the game to overtime. One solid defensive play closed the game out, but not without a fright. Whilst nobody had a stand out game, Eoin Nagle was the deserved MVP with a very solid performance.
Plenty to reflect on for the team then, after this one. Whilst it was good to gut the ‘W’ out away from home against a good Queens team, the team needs to reflect on the mental lapses which caused multiple missed simple lay-ups, sloppy passing particularly from in-bounds, and of course a horde of missed free-throws. Hopefully the time allocated for shooting in the next training sessions will be taken with a bit more seriousness, as it nearly came back to bite the team in this close encounter with old friends.
u16: Sat 20 December: Tyrone Towers 14 Star 59
Star moved to 4 - 0 for the season with a comfortable W in Dungannon, beating the hosts 59-14 in a rather one-sided affair. The depth of the squad this year proved its value, as several players were unavailable and a few disappointed with a no-show, but this proved to be a good opportunity for other players to put their hand up as the season moves into full swing.
John Smye got going right from the tip, rattling in 8 unanswered points without reply, as a starting 5 featuring John Moran at the point set the desired tempo. With Michael McWilliams controlling the boards, and Dara McGinn & Przemak Kwiecien getting out on the break, the scoreboard ticked over nicely as Star finished the quarter 15-3 to the good.
The second quarter faces changed, but the song remained the same, with Eoin Nagle driving the team forward and setting the done defensively on the perimeter. The double act of Niall McGinnity and Peter Henvey dominated the paint, and this time it was Dermott Maguire & Rory Brolly getting out and punishing Towers on transition.
The game was effectively over as a contest by half-time, and the real challenge for Star was to stay focused and disciplined, as frustrations began to boil for a few of the Towers players. To their credit this is what Star did, and the team played out the second half one play at a time, demonstrating a mental toughness which will serve them well in future contests.
The aggressive but smart defense was a real highlight of the performance, reflected in the fact Towers could only muster 14 points in the game. Just as pleasing though was the tempo the team kept up the whole game, driven on by John Moran, Eoin Nagle and Peter Henvey. But Michael McWilliams just about edged everybody else out with an MVP performance, capping off a fine display with the Royal Mail-sponsored Delivery Of The Week, a behind-the-back pass on transition to a flying Eoin Nagle…nice. Next up, North Star in St Malachy's Gaaaaden on the 11th Jan, come and see this up-and-coming team.
Star moved to 4 - 0 for the season with a comfortable W in Dungannon, beating the hosts 59-14 in a rather one-sided affair. The depth of the squad this year proved its value, as several players were unavailable and a few disappointed with a no-show, but this proved to be a good opportunity for other players to put their hand up as the season moves into full swing.
John Smye got going right from the tip, rattling in 8 unanswered points without reply, as a starting 5 featuring John Moran at the point set the desired tempo. With Michael McWilliams controlling the boards, and Dara McGinn & Przemak Kwiecien getting out on the break, the scoreboard ticked over nicely as Star finished the quarter 15-3 to the good.
The second quarter faces changed, but the song remained the same, with Eoin Nagle driving the team forward and setting the done defensively on the perimeter. The double act of Niall McGinnity and Peter Henvey dominated the paint, and this time it was Dermott Maguire & Rory Brolly getting out and punishing Towers on transition.
The game was effectively over as a contest by half-time, and the real challenge for Star was to stay focused and disciplined, as frustrations began to boil for a few of the Towers players. To their credit this is what Star did, and the team played out the second half one play at a time, demonstrating a mental toughness which will serve them well in future contests.
The aggressive but smart defense was a real highlight of the performance, reflected in the fact Towers could only muster 14 points in the game. Just as pleasing though was the tempo the team kept up the whole game, driven on by John Moran, Eoin Nagle and Peter Henvey. But Michael McWilliams just about edged everybody else out with an MVP performance, capping off a fine display with the Royal Mail-sponsored Delivery Of The Week, a behind-the-back pass on transition to a flying Eoin Nagle…nice. Next up, North Star in St Malachy's Gaaaaden on the 11th Jan, come and see this up-and-coming team.
u16 Sat 26th October: Queen's 15 Star 65
Star's U16 squad got off to an eagerly anticipated start at the weekend against Queen's B.C. Since Rip n' Run camp in the summer the boys have been preparing for their season ahead, keen to get of to a good start.
All players were able to get on the score board in the first quarter while holding the Queen's offence to 5 points (23-5). Isaac Byrne was a noticeable presence on the boards at both ends and very strong particularly when Jack Corr was able to find him at the low post.
The second quarter was much the same with consistent scores from Sean Mc Parland and Josh Briers providing a comfortable lead going into the half (43-9).
Throughout the game the U16 players were able to show a lot of variety in their offensive plays, making good decisions while keeping up a high intensity and pressuring the wall on defence.
After nursing an illness last week, Niall Mc Keown stood out in the last quarter with 5 rebounds and 8 points.
The next U16 game will be at Tyrone Towers on Saturday 16th November.
Star's U16 squad got off to an eagerly anticipated start at the weekend against Queen's B.C. Since Rip n' Run camp in the summer the boys have been preparing for their season ahead, keen to get of to a good start.
All players were able to get on the score board in the first quarter while holding the Queen's offence to 5 points (23-5). Isaac Byrne was a noticeable presence on the boards at both ends and very strong particularly when Jack Corr was able to find him at the low post.
The second quarter was much the same with consistent scores from Sean Mc Parland and Josh Briers providing a comfortable lead going into the half (43-9).
Throughout the game the U16 players were able to show a lot of variety in their offensive plays, making good decisions while keeping up a high intensity and pressuring the wall on defence.
After nursing an illness last week, Niall Mc Keown stood out in the last quarter with 5 rebounds and 8 points.
The next U16 game will be at Tyrone Towers on Saturday 16th November.