Improving Maigh Cuilinn bag third league win of campaign

Maree fell to a second league defeat of the season in the MSL when losing on the road to Belfast Star in a meeting of the two conference leaders; University of Galway Mystics were blown away in a one-sided contest in the Women’s Super League by Liffey Celtics; while Titans lost a close contest at home to Portlaoise Panthers in their Men’s Division 1 meeting in Knocknacarra.

MEN’S SUPER LEAGUE

St Vincent’s 73

Maigh Cuilinn 83

Big games are made for big players and in what was a crucial one for Maigh Cuilnn, team captain Grant Olsson was immense, scoring 40 points as his side ran out deserving winners in Dublin on Saturday.

The Kansas native, who has been with Maigh Cuilinn for four years, was a constant thorn in the side of St Vincent’s, but he certainly wasn’t alone as the visitors played brilliant link-up basketball, as the home side slowly reverted to one-versus-one isolation basketball that failed against their more fluid opponents.

This was never more evident than in the third quarter, when the visitors established what would be the deciding lead in the match, opening up to a double digit difference at times.

If Maigh Cuilinn had made but a small percentage of the open looks they generated, this game would have been over entering the fourth quarter. Their failure to do so left the home side with hope in those final 10 minutes, but it was Maigh Cuilinn who claimed the win that lifts them ahead of Demons, Ulster University and Vincent’s in the standings.

Pictured: Ivan Basic who hit eight points for Maigh Cuilinn in their Super League win over St Vincent's on Saturday.