A stunning exhibition of three-point shooting from Pyrobel Killester on Sunday evening at the IWA Clontarf saw them become the first team this season to overcome league leaders and Cup champions, Courtyard Liffey Celtics.
Indeed a dazzling performance that saw 17 three-pointers from Killester in total – with nine of these coming in the fourth quarter alone – was enough to see them come back from a 47-56 point deficit at half time to win out in thrilling fashion, 109-86.
KILLESTER DEFEAT CELTICS
Pyrobel Killester are the first team to defeat Courtyard Liffey Celtics in the Women's Super League, winning 109 - 86 in Clontarf.#ThisIsSuper pic.twitter.com/KOdiGqP1rL— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) February 10, 2019
Rebecca Nagle and Miah Spencer were the stand-out three-point stars in a dazzling team display for Killester, bagging seven and six three-pointers respectively on the night, with Christa Reed chipping in with four huge long-range efforts as well, in a game that really dished up everything from the off.
A high-scoring first quarter saw nothing much separating the sides, with Liffey edging proceedings at the end of the period, 22-26, thanks to superb work from Aine O’Connor and Allie LeClaire. The intensity continued in the second, with Killester finding ways through the Liffey defense to drive inside and pick up some bonus points from the free throw line, but Sorcha Tiernan, LeClaire and Briana Green kept the pace up for the Cup champions to lead 47-56 at the half time break.
A huge second half followed and what a showcase of Irish basketball it was, as Killester just could not miss, outscoring the league leaders 28-10 in the quarter thanks to the superb shooting of Spencer, Nagle and Reed to lead 75-66 going into the last. The women in orange certainly dared to dream going down the stretch and, after losing to Liffey in Leixlip last weekend, were certainly not giving up on their home turf easily, and by the midway point of the fourth, the three-point shooting exhibition continued to see them into a 10-point lead. The scores just kept raining in, with Spencer and Nagle dominating on offence and despite big efforts from LeClaire, Tiernan and Karen Mealey, nothing could stop the Killester onslaught and they won out 109-86 point winners in the end.
Speaking afterwards a thrilled head coach, Karl Kilbride, stated: “We’re delighted, particularly after losing to them last week. We played so well then for three quarters and felt we shot ourselves in the foot in the fourth. We scored 47 in the first half tonight and we were still down nine, I don’t think I’ve ever had that before. Our defense won us the game though, we held them to 30 points in the second half. The girls came out and were magnificent, they were determined to let everyone know we’re still here and we’re keeping the season alive.”
