Maree claim local bragging rights to stay top of table

Titans    65

Maree’s fine form continues and they stay top of the National League Division 1 after a gripping come-from-behind win over Titans in a loud and packed Calasanctius Gym Saturday night.

The 74-65 final margin saw Maree deny Titans a losing bonus point (for a 7-point deficit or less) though their perennial local rivals will take some comfort from the Cup semi-final next weekend against Dublin’s UCD Marian.

Titans came to Oranmore with a score to settle, having suffered an unlikely 69-66 loss to an under-strength Maree in their League opener in the Jes in October. The visitors started with Gintaras Sedebskis, Tomas Mitkus, Paulius Peldzius, Toms Fabricuss and Chris Coyne, while Maree’s first five was Colm O’Hagan, Liam Conroy, Cathal Finn, Ken Hansberry and Matt Hornbuckle.

Maree’s Conroy and Titans’ Peldzius each scored 8 points in a tight first quarter shaded 18-17 by the visitors. A pattern was emerging, with Titans on top in the battle for rebounds and looking to fast-break off this advantage.

Maree’s man-to-man defence made life difficult for Titans’ half-court attack, so it was Maree scoring from set-up offense and Titans scoring from transition. The second quarter was book-ended for Maree by three-pointers from O’Hagan and Pádraig Burke, but the hosts got themselves in foul trouble, and Titans hit 6 free throws to Maree’s none.

Coyne and Ken Hansberry (who finished with a game-high 16) contributed 6 points for their respective causes and honours were even for the quarter, with Titans up 39-38 at the half.

Maree lost their way a little after the break, turning the ball over, missing layups, making bad decisions and scoring just 10 points in the quarter. Titans were the more clinical in their rebounding and shot selection, and 7 from Mitkus helped them to a commanding 10-point 58-48 going into the final period.

And yet, it was more Maree’s own performance than Titans’ pressure that had the hosts in trouble, but they turned things around in the final quarter, finding an extra gear, upping the intensity and tearing into the Titans lead.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.