Maree kept up the pressure at the top of the National League division 1 with a workmanlike 87-50 win over Fr Matthews of Cork in Calasanctius Gym on Saturday.
The win sees them remain joint second with fellow Galwegians Titans, both on 16 points - two adrift of Swords Thunder who remain unbeaten on 18 points.
Having returned this season from the Superleague’s UCD Marian, Cathal Finn made his league debut, while Dave Hansberry also returned to action, and with Donie Greene back from injury and Enda Walsh due back from New Zealand at Christmas, Maree look to be getting stronger. Matt Hornbuckle had his best game to date with 17 points, while Ken Hansberry top-scored with 20 and Conroy slotted 19.
Hornbuckle warmed up the scoreboard with a three and then two from the line for the first of eight first-quarter points, while at the other end Matthews’ 6’7” Dusan Vucen was the main threat. A product of the great Partizan Belgrade basketball club, Vucen was unstoppable inside for much of the game - scoring nine in a row in the second period and finishing with 15, but it was not enough for the Leesiders.
Relentless pressure from the Maree guards Colm O’Hagan and Pádraig Burke, with Jasiec Stec, Paul Jacobsen and Ciarán Harte also putting in big shifts, shut down their opponents’ outside shooting and eventually stifled Vucen’s supply in the key. Good Maree rebounding through Conroy, the Hansberry brothers, and James Brophy limited the visitors’ second chances. Maree led 40-23 at the half and by the end of the third, they were out of sight at 66-33. They eased to an 87-50 win with Conroy hitting 10 points in the final period.
