Titans’ winning streak continues as they comfortably beat St Brendan’s Tralee 98-69 in the National Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
Titans have now won three consecutive contests against last season's Southern Conference champions and are now set to play local derby team Moycullen in the semi-finals on January 10.
The eest of Ireland is well represented in men's basketball with the Ballina Braves joining their Galway neighbours in the final four. The remaining representative is St Mary’s Castleisland.
This weekend they return to league action with two games on the road when they travel to Limerick and Sligo on Saturday and Sunday.
St Brendan’s Tony Saltonas and Frank O'Sullivan jumped out of the blocks early with three-point plays followed by several two-pointers to take the lead as Titans were caught flat-footed.
However Rinvydas Visockas led the home response, nailing four free-throws in succession, setting the foundation for game’s MVP. Titans introduced 6'10" Canadian David O'Keefe to narrow the deficit, and by the end of the quarter, both sides were level at 24 points.
Titans, demonstrating their fast free-flowing basketball in the second, produced a high of 35 points in a 10-minute spell. Paul Freeman and Conall MacMichael led the attack as St Brendan’s had no response. Paulius Peldzius did get into early foul trouble, limiting his minutes on court, but with a strong bench, Titans were comfortably in control and led by 25 points at the half.
St Brendan’s regained some momentum in the third quarter as Tony Saltonas chipped in 10 more points, but Titans extended their lead from 22 points to 29 points in the final quarter, never under threat of a visitors’ comeback.
Titans: Paul Freeman (23 ); Rinvydas Visockas (22 ); Danny Finn & David O'Keefe (16 ); Conal MacMichael (7 ); Paulius Peldzius (7 ); Jack Considine (3 ); Darren Callanan (2 ), Patrick O'Neill (2 ); Derek Mulveen; Colin Turke.
