Portlaoise Panthers 93 Dublin Lions 76
Men’s National Basketball League Division 1
Portlaoise Panthers wore down a stubborn Dublin Lions outfit in Coláiste Bríde on Saturday night to push their unbeaten run in Men’s Division One into double figures.
The 10 and 0 North Conference leaders, who had previously beaten Lions by 32 points at the outset of the season back in early October, encountered a lot more resistance from their Clondalkin rivals in the return fixture.
But, with Eric Anderson serving up a season’s best 30-points, that included five buckets from beyond the arc, and James Phelan and Davin McEvoy combining for an additional 35, the visitors did more than enough to remain nine points clear at the top of the conference table.
Kevin Donohoe, Phelan and Anderson all served up baskets before Davin McEvoy landed a sublime three as Panthers put together a nine-point run that helped them into 29-25 lead by the close of the first quarter.
And the visitors accounted for the opening six points of the second as they moved 10 clear, only to see Lions battle their way back to within a solitary point, Colin Bolger draining a big three, before Aran Lee, Aidan Igiehon and Evan Cook delivered on the inside for the hosts.
Yet, not for the first time this season, Portlaoise demonstrated great resolve in a tight situation, and scores from both sides of the arc by Aleksandar Kovacevic were followed by a big three from Anderson that helped propel Panthers up 57-45 by the half-time break.
Lions did reduce their arrears by five early in the third, courtesy of Lee and Tiernan Howe, but Portlaoise were determined not to afford their opponents a way back again and raced 15 points clear as Anderson, Kovacevic and Liam Kinsella all increased their tallies.
Igiehon and Kevin Anyanwu tried to apply the breaks for Lions who still had a 12-point gap (70-58) to bridge at the outset of the final quarter.
That task grew even more daunting when both Anderson and McEvoy again punished off the three-point line, and, while the hosts did manage to string together an eight-point run, Portlaoise continued to enjoy a regular supply of scores down the stretch through Phelan, Donohoe, Anderson and Kovacevic.
Panthers will return to divisional action next Sunday when they welcome the in-form Ulster University to St. Mary’s Hall.
SCORERS – Dublin Lions: Aidan Igiehon (24), Kevin Anyanwu (16), Aran Lee (12), Evan Cook (12) Portlaoise Panthers: Eric Anderson (30), James Phelan (19), Davin McEvoy (16), Aleksandar Kovacevic (11).
DUBLIN LIONS: Tiernan Howe, Colin Bolger, Michael O’Connor, Kevin Anyanwu, Arnas Mineikis, Aidan Igiehon, Conor Dikcius, Aran Lee, Evan Cook.
PORTLAOISE PANTHERS: Cillian O’Connell, Dylan Dunne, James Phelan, Eric Anderson, Davin McEvoy, Kevin Donohoe, Gary Morrissey, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Liam Kinsella.
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