Titans suffered a heartbreaking one-point defeat in the National Basketball League division one on Sunday night to Team Garvey’s.
Previously unbeaten, the Galway side started well with early baskets from Paul Freeman and Danny Finn, but the home team edged the first quarter by two points.
St Mary’s had their player/coach Brian Clernon to thank for the early lead as he cleaned up everything around the Titans’ basket and was a constant threat.
The Titans scored eight points without reply, with Freeman again to the fore, assisted by Finn and Remvydas Visockas. St Mary’s, however, came back with some fine inside baskets as the contest heated up especially under the boards, where Limerick intercounty footballer John Galvin battled hard against Freeman.
Titans began the second half well as Visockas found his three point range, and the entire team worked hard on defence to limit the home side’s chances. Jack Considine and Darren Callanan chipped in with scores at vital moments to leave them leading by 51 - 55 at the end of the quarter.
The large home crowd started to increase the noise levels at the beginning of the fourth and their team responded with a basket from Galvin before Liam Brosnan fired in a huge three pointer followed by a couple of free throws. Titans had been leading by six and it took a couple of pressure free throws from Paul Peldzius to maintain what became a slender lead. Freeman traded baskets with Dainius Varanaskus before Fleming added a three for Castleisland to leave the game all square with only 20 seconds to go. Varanaskus was then fouled as he drove to the basket and he shot one to put the Kerrymen ahead with time all but over. To their credit Titans managed to work the ball in well for one last shot but man of the match Freeman saw his shot rim out as Titans slipped to their first loss of the season.
Titans have the chance to get their promising season back on track with a home game this Sunday against PV Falcons of Longford in NUIG at 4pm.
Titans: C MacMichael; D Finn; P Peldzius; D Callanan; J Considine; S Zvirblinskas; D Mulveen; C McKeown; R Visockas; K O’Neill; P O’Neill; P. Freeman.
