Isle of Man Basketball Association’s Senior League was blown open as Cannons fired a devastating series of late threes to claim a shock victory over champions Wolves in a closely contested match-up at the NSC last Thursday.
An outside three-pointer from Harry Brindle started a strong opening for Wolves, with Kyle Mills pulling up mid-range to add to the total.
Cannons initially struggled against Wolves’ pressure defence but settled as the quarter wore on, using pace and strong control of the ball to progress down the court and setup opportunities for Oliver Hamilton and Gabe Thatcher who cut through the lanes on strong lay-ups.
Another quick drive by Hamilton in the final minute brought Cannons within four points of Wolves, 13-9 at the end of the first.
The second quarter saw a standout performance from point guard Jack Wilkinson who dominated Cannons’ scoring with three aggressive power lay-ups and a duo of deep three-pointers to launch them into the lead.
Wolves’ offence fell flat against a renewed Cannons 2-3 zone defence which locked down the inside and frustrated scoring efforts. Solace came for Wolves late in the quarter as big man Cameron Scott posted up while Mills provided another mid-range.
The momentum was short-lived though as Dylan Evans swished a three-pointer in the final minute to keep Cannons ahead, now leading 21-25 at half-time.
Cannons’ breakthrough in the second quarter forced Wolves to adapt in the third, swapping out the full-court man press for a half-court man defence which stalled the Cannons offence and saw their outside shooting dry up.
The game shifted in Wolves’ favour with efforts from Max Edwards and Michael Pardoe, the former hitting mid-range and outside after some quick ball movement while the latter used his quick pace to cut through lanes for lay-ups which drew the fouls.
Cannons kept their composure despite the tough quarter, as Thatcher and Hamilton were joined on the scoresheet by Rowan Coulter with a nice steal and fast break and, while the lead was lost, they prevented Wolves from pulling away.
With the end of the third the game was still in the balance, Wolves leading by a slender four points, 34-30.
Mills opened the fourth quarter for Wolves with a strong take that drew the foul and free-throws from Evan O’Dea and extended the lead by a further two points.
It was a brief glimmer of hope before a devastating run from Cannons as they seized control of the game. Lockdown defence frustrated Wolves’ offence while effective ball control and good movement created opportunities that Cannons were quick to convert.
A solid run of points started with a strong drive from Rowan Coulter that collapsed the Wolves defence and freed up Oliver Hamilton for the kickout and swish three-pointer.
The move energised the Cannons bench who were soon cheering on defensive efforts that mounted the pressure on Wolves.
A run of steals and a brace of threes from Coulter and Hamilton, coupled with the defensive presence of Thatcher, Wilkinson and O’Dea, sealed the game in a painful last five minutes for Wolves.
The final whistle sealed an impressive win for Cannons who had built a 12-point lead to take the game, 54-42, in what has to be the shock result of the season and a great highlight for the rookie team.
The other games of the evening saw solid wins for Jets and Cavaliers. Jets played a fast-paced blitz against Ravens, as quick movement coupled with curl cuts and solid screens opened up scoring opportunities that Logan Glover, Tom Dalton-Brown and Michael Baker dutifully sank.
An understrength Ravens suffered initially but found some form in the late game, with outside shooting from rookies Sully Forfar and Zac Hand hitting the mark. Final score, 84-50 to Jets.
Cavaliers had a strong opening run in their match-up against Hoops, set plays opening up Phil Evans and Chris Wolfendale to rain down shots and solid drives.
Pace slowed as the game wore on and Hoops created chances with some nice screens and inside play.
Outside shooting is fast becoming a core part of the local league and it was on solid display from both sides with 14 three-pointers between the two, including a deep swish shot from Danielle Murphy early in the final quarter.
The game was controlled by Cavs though, taking home a solid 93-30 win at full-time.
This Thursday night sees the final round of the regular season before the play-off finals and, with Cannons’ victory over Wolves, there’s all to play for as second, third and fourth seed are an open contest.
First to tip off at 7pm is a top-of-the-table clash between Jets and Wolves: with the teams on matched records and 1-1 in the head-to-head series, a victory for either will see them take top seed and get a bye to the second round of the play-offs.
Then at 8.30pm Cavaliers face Ravens while Cannons play Pirates. Per the Senior League rules, a solid victory for Cavs, combined with a loss for Wolves, could see them leapfrog into second seed based on points difference.
A victory for Cannons, combined with a loss for Ravens, could see them jump to third seed on the same metric in the most open final week of recent memory.
All games are played in the NSC Main Hall with courtside seating available for any spectators who wish to attend.
ISLAND TEAM
The island men’s basketball team face Preston Basketball Club this week in their first warm-up game on the road to Anglesey this summer.
With no basketball in this year’s Island Games, the Anglesey Basketball Association have organised a replacement tournament and seven islands have set up training squads to prepare for what should be a hotly-contested tournament title.
The Preston game marks the first test for the Isle of Man Men’s team since a solid performance in the 2023 Guernsey Games and should prove to be a physical match-up. A full report and photos will appear in this week’s Manx Independent.
MARTIN DUNNE