The final Isle of Man Basketball Association league games of 2024 took place at the NSC on Thursday evening, with six teams taking to the court ahead of the Christmas break.
The opening game of the evening pitted Hoops against Ravens, with the former favouring their set plays while the latter opted for quick breaks.
Rhian Evans opened the scoring for Hoops with an early shot that was shortly followed by baskets from Becky Dunne.
Ravens followed with solid pace down the court and baskets from Zak Mitchell and Miltos Provatakis soon followed. A storming 11-point run from Matthew Jones powered Ravens into a solid lead, 21-8 at the end of the first.
The second quarter opened strong for Ravens and saw rookies Zak Hand and Sully Forfar both step up outside the three-point arc. Hoops defence slowed Ravens’ pace though and more disciplined offence denied opportunities for many steals and quick breaks.
Success came on the inside for Gemma Kirkham with some solid moves, while Daniella Kravela swished from the mid-range. Ravens still held the lead going into the half though, 40-15.
It was a similar affair in the second half as Hoops initially held off Ravens in the third and started to close the gap, aided by Kirkham and Kravela. It wasn’t to last though as Ravens found new form in the fourth, with an aggressive run that again saw Forfar and Hand take a leading role.
Late baskets from Danielle Murphy and Evans gave Hoops a boost but couldn’t turn the tide, 71-36 to Ravens at the final buzzer.
Cavaliers took on Pirates in a physical second game that started out as a to-and-fro contest. Pirates led the charge with solid shooting from Eddy Zolionis and Mike Brew but Cavs were swift to respond as Phil Evans and Andy Cregeen hit the mark.
There was little between the teams as the first quarter wore on and it wasn’t until late on that the momentum shifted as Chris Wolfendale swished a trio of three-pointers to supercharge Cavaliers’ offence.
They carried the momentum into the second quarter, aided by inside play from Dave Minay, while Pirates struggled to find a consistent response. When half-time came Cavaliers were well in control, 41-26.
Pirates opened the second half with a tougher defensive form and a new emphasis on shooting outside the arc, Romas Kvedys and Lance Davidas delivering.
Cavs’ scoring slowed in the third, although they held pace with Pirates through efforts from David Boyle and Les Winnicki, and the scoring stayed balanced between the teams for the rest of the half.
Kyle Furlong also gave a solid showing, setting up some nice plays throughout the second half, a sign of the young player growing into his role on the Cavaliers side. With the final whistle it was Cavs who ended 2024 on a win, 69-53.
The final game of the evening saw Jets fly high against Cannons as they relied on a series of set plays and put backs to rack up points.
Wayne Mears and Michael Baker played key roles, complimenting each other in the post positions and setting up plenty of easy baskets. Cannons struggled initially and reverted to outside shooting with limited success.
Rowan Coulter did well in the late game with some nice drives committing the defence and opening a quick dish to free men outside and on the trail. A change in Cannons defence in the second half also helped to slow Jets pace but could change the result, 70-32 to Jets at the buzzer.
- The basketball season now goes on an extended break for Christmas and to accommodate the January Cup Competition. After feedback from players and teams, 2025 will see a new schedule for the Cup Competition as it moves to a 3x3 format.
Following FIBA Guidelines, the games will be played on a half court with an official 3x3 basketball, which has a smaller size but similar weight to a standard competition basketball.
With an emphasis on quick action and no stoppages, 3x3 has proved increasingly popular in recent years and promises exciting start to 2025.
The January Cup commences on Thursday, January 9 in the NSC main hall, with team and registration available on the basketball association website. The 3x3 teams must consist of no fewer than four and no more than five players, and registration is open to new and existing players.
Further details can be found on www.isleofmanbasketball.com
The regular season will resume on Thursday, January 30 as teams progress toward the play-offs in April 2025.
- Isle of Man Basketball Association wishes a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all players, coaches, officials and supporters. Nollick Ghennal as Blein Vie Noa!
MARTIN DUNNE