Ravens have struggled in the Isle of Man basketball season, with the loss of some key players and persistent injuries leading to losses in all but one of their first-round games.

But hard work and solid determination have seen them turn a corner, winning out against Cannons 61-51 in December’s second round match up and continuing their redemption arc against Pirates last Thursday.

Strong from the start, Ravens won the jump ball and immediately converted through a nice drive by Miltos Provatakis.

The run continued as Zak Mitchell found paths to the basket and Provatakis stepped up outside the arc, leading to a respectable seven-point advantage in the opening minutes.

Pirates’ initial shock was settled in the final minutes of the first and new signing Wig Bregazzi helped to slash the deficit and bring them right back into the game, 14-13 at the whistle.

A similar story was told in the second quarter, Ravens initially catching Pirates off guard through a combination of quick pace and solid defence that saw veteran Matt Jones and rookie Sully Forfar join the scoresheet and extend the Ravens lead to double digits.

Again, Pirates took time to build momentum but found a route back into contention as Jamie Grose and Lance Davidas hit the inside and sank the mid-range.

The game would have been on a knife edge at the half but for a late three-pointer from Provatakis that gave Ravens some breathing room and pushed the lead to five points going into the third quarter.

Half-time strategising paid off for Pirates who came out stronger from the outset, Andy Holton picking up foul free-throws and Nick Hamer drawing them within striking distance.

An outside shot from Raven’s Sully Forfar kept them ahead but the remainder of the third saw a tit-for-tat between the teams as both exploited weaknesses in the defence to trade baskets.

With seconds remaining in the quarter, a push by Terrell Nesbitt gave Pirates solid momentum and again brought them within a single point of Ravens, 42-41 heading into the final quarter.

In previous games Ravens have struggled to hold their nerve, unforced errors and poor shot selection costing them what could have been narrow victories.

Neither of those issues were on display against Pirates though as they locked down their defence and played smart offence to maintain a slender lead throughout the fourth.

Seb Smith, who had played a solid role as defensive stopper throughout, hit a swish three-pointer going into the final minute to extend Ravens’ margin to four points and put the pressure on Pirates to deliver.

Despite a solid Ravens defence, Wig Bregazzi found a path to the hoop for Pirates and brought the game to within a single basket.

As the seconds ran down, Pirates were awarded a sideline inbound and a final chance to level for two or win with a three.

Ravens held their nerve though with a solid lockdown defence and smart stops from Smith and Jones that disrupted Pirates and denied any baskets.

At the final whistle Ravens had taken a two-point win, 53-51, and avenged another first round defeat by sinking the Pirates.

- In the second game of the evening, Wolves maintained their top spot in the league table with an 80-45 victory over Cavaliers.

Wolves’ quick breaks and strong takes in the opening quarters led to plenty of baskets by Ross Wilson and Ben Takken, while solid shooting in the latter part of the game saw Viktor Capkanovski rain three-pointers.

Cavaliers found some opportunities breaking the press, Dave Boyle capitalising, but struggled as the defence kept solid shooter Chris Wolfendale in check until late in the game.

Highlight of the game goes to Wolves’ shooting guard Wilson who racked up an impressive triple-double with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 steals.

- Hoops and Jets took to the floor in the final game of the evening, with Jets using their pace and power to take a solid win.

Tom Dalton-Brown and Pete Boussougou led the scoring for the Jets side with 15 and 13 points respectively, while Gemma Kirkham led for Hoops with eight points and eight rebounds. Final score 85-19 to Forget Me Not Jets.

Although a by-the-numbers win for a team of Jets’ experience and depth, Hoops will be pleased with the performance of some of their new recruits, including Ewelina Hand who managed a few nice stops and some solid boards against tough challenges.

Jets will be hoping to post a similar strong performance in their match-up against former team-mates Cavaliers this week, a key game after an unexpected first round loss in November.

FIXTURES

This Thursday sees Wolves take on Pirates at 7pm on court one followed by Hoops against Cannons at 8.30pm.

Court two will see the aforementioned match-up between old rivals Forget Me Not Jets and Cavaliers, with Jets seeking to avenge their first-round loss and reclaim second spot in the league table.

All games are held in the NSC Main Hall with courtside seating provided for any spectators wishing to attend.

Island Games co-ordinator

In basketball committee news, discussions were held recently on preparations for the 2029 Isle of Man Island Games.

While both the island men’s and women’s teams continue to train with a view to competing in this summer’s Anglesey basketball tournament, Isle of Man Basketball Association’s committee feels it is important to focus on the wider development of the sport in preparation for 2029.

With this in mind, applications are invited for the newly-created committee position of ‘Island Games Co-Ordinator'.

The role will involve working with key contacts within the island’s basketball and wider sporting communities to develop and implement a plan of action toward the 2029 games.

As a volunteer organisation, and under the terms of the association’s constitution, this is an unpaid role, although future budget may be allocated by proposal from the executive committee and consent from the membership.

Individuals wishing to apply or find out more may do so through the association’s website, www.isleofmanbasketball.com

MARTIN DUNNE