Play-off season arrived with a bang as the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 Isle of Man basketball season tipped off in the NSC main hall on Thursday evening.

Current title holders Wolves won automatic advancement having topped the regular season table in their final game before Easter, so it was down to six teams to fight for three slots in the second round of the do-or-die championship.

The highlight of the night was a low-scoring but hotly-contested battle between Cannons and Ravens.

Both teams had shown good form heading into the match-up, Ravens having beaten Cannons in two of their three face-offs this season, while Cannons were still riding high from an unexpected victory over Wolves in the final weeks of the round robin season.

Defence was the watchword for both squads heading into the game, each deploying a physical ball pressure defence that locked down the inside lanes and frustrated offensive efforts.

Cannons were particularly effective in shutting down half-court sets through a scramble run and jump effort that saw defenders flying out to challenge every shot.

The plan proved effective in denying Ravens’ offensive sets but was exploited through quick pace on the break by Matt Jones and Miltos Provatakis that gave Ravens an early lead.

It proved to be the only scoring for the early quarter as both teams struggled to break through once the opposition were set.

A series of late drives and foul-free throws given to Jack Wilkinson and Rowan Coulter saw Cannons pick up some points in the final minutes, but the scoring stayed low. When the first quarter was done, it was Ravens who held a slender lead, 6-5.

Wilkinson started strongly for Cannons at the opening of the second, a drive drawing the foul, but failed to convert the free-throws.

Ravens managed to extend their lead with a drive under heavy pressure from Zak Mitchell but again the physical defensive efforts from both sides kept the scoring to a minimum until the final minutes.

Quick drive and dish options from Cannons saw them find Wilkinson outside the arc and he swished two three-pointers in quick succession to launch them into the lead.

A tense final few minutes saw both teams trade baskets, Coulter from the mid-range for Cannons while Provatakis drove the lane for Ravens.

It was Cannons who came out on top at the buzzer though, having slipped ahead by a single point, 14-15.

Ravens were back on form at the opening of the third, rookie Sully Forfar joining the scoresheet with a nice mid-range while team veteran Seb Smith locked down on defence and secured a string of defensive boards.

The action put Ravens back out in front and extended the lead to its largest for either side at four points, but still only two baskets separation and so anyone’s game to take. The breakthrough came in the back half of the third as a vocal Cannons bench inspired the team to an eight-point unanswered run, Coulter again hitting the mid while Gabe Thatcher and Oliver Hamilton splashed two perfect floaters under strong defensive pressure.

The Cannons bench went wild in reaction to a final minute swish three from Wilkinson which pushed the Cannons further out in front, 21-29 at the end of the third.

The final quarter saw frustrations grow for Ravens as they struggled to find an effective counter to the defence, while Cannons momentum continued to grow – buoyed by active chants from the bench.

Wilkinson started their scoring with another swish three-pointer and was quickly joined on the scoresheet by Coulter and Thatcher who hit solid lay-ups and breaks that left Ravens feathers ruffled.

Cannons controlled the flow for the rest of the quarter and, as time wore on, Ravens defence broke down leaving second chance rebounds open for the taking.

When the final buzzer arrived, Cannons had taken a 20-point victory 23-43 and continued their impressive inaugural season to book a place in the semi-finals against Wolves.

The other games saw Jets and Cavaliers book their places in the semi-finals with solid wins over Hoops and Pirates.

Jets’ inside play coupled with some strong outside shooting saw them take down Hoops 90-26, although the latter made some solid moves to exploit the Jets defence and open up some nice opportunities on which Rhi Evans and Oksana Fedorovych capitalised.

Cavaliers found an initial challenge in Pirates as league stalwart Wig Bregazzi joined Lance Davidas to rain three-pointers.

But Chris Wolfendale found his groove outside the arc to level the scores before the end of the first and Cavaliers continued to build momentum as the game went on as they pressed the fast break and used some solid screens and cuts to sink Pirates’ hopes of bounty.

A string of runs was dominated by Wolfendale and he capped off the Cavs victory with the final basket of the night, ending the game 91-35 to Cavaliers.

- This Thursday sees revised timings for extended semi-final sessions as teams continue the road to next week’s arena court final.

First to face off at 6.30pm are old rivals Cavaliers and Jets. The latter have the better record (2-1) in the regular season, but Cavs have posted strong performances in the last few weeks, including their first victory over Wolves in their last nine matchups.

Then at 8.15pm Wolves will join the championship fray as take on Cannons. Wolves will be keen to avenge their unexpected loss to Cannons a few weeks ago, while the youthful Cannons team will hope to continue their strong momentum with another upset and make league history as the first rookie under-18s side to book a place in the championship final.

All games are held in the NSC main hall, with courtside seating available for spectators.

The 2024/25 championship final will be played on Thursday, May 8 on the NSC main hall arena court, with courtside bleachers available for all spectators who wish to attend.

The game will tip off at 8pm with a trophy presentation for the season’s winners to follow.

MARTIN DUNNE