Sport

Maree’s 25-year-old coach guides Galway side to their first National Cup title

Charlie Crowley hails his ‘unbelievable’ team following 74-69 victory over Éanna at National Basketball Arena

Killester's Chanell Williams in action against Meteors in the Women’s National Cup at the National Basketball Arena, Dublin: she was the top scorer of match with 26 points. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Killester's Chanell Williams in action against Meteors in the Women’s National Cup at the National Basketball Arena, Dublin: she was the top scorer of match with 26 points. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Sun Jan 22 2023 - 21:01

Maree’s Charlie Crowley became the youngest coach to lift the Men’s National Cup as his side edged out Éanna on a 74-69 scoreline in Saturday evening’s Pat Duffy decider at the National Basketball Arena.

And the 25-year-old was in buoyant mood as his team produced a strong finish to see out the game.

“Do you see us now Galway,” said an emotional Crowley as Maree became the first club from the county to capture the blue riband event.

Crowley hailed his team as they overcame an Éanna team based in Rathfarnham, just a few miles up the road from the National Basketball Arena.

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“All week everyone was saying ‘Éanna, Éanna, Éanna’ but the lads turned up. We asked them to play zone all game and they did that. They were just unbelievable.”

Both teams were looking to put their names on the trophy for the first time, Éanna having lost in the 2020 decider while also going out at the semi-final stage of the competition last year.

And it was the Dublin outfit who had shaded a tight first half before baskets from Zvonimir Cutuk and Rodrigo Gomez had seen Maree cut the deficit to just two points at the break, 34-32.

Cutuk, having picked up a heavy knock in the first half, returned to the court with his head heavily bandaged but along with eventual game MVP Jarett Haines, who scored 35 points, had moved Maree two points clear by the end of the third, 50-48.

Éanna would respond with two big baskets from Sean Jenkins but with 4.50 left in the game, Haines hit a three-pointer and significantly Maree weren’t headed after that.

University of Galway Maree’s Mark Thiam, Comhghall McCormack and Matthew Sweeney celebrate with the Pat Duffy Cup at National Basketball Arena, Dublin. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
University of Galway Maree’s Mark Thiam, Comhghall McCormack and Matthew Sweeney celebrate with the Pat Duffy Cup at National Basketball Arena, Dublin. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

And with New Orleans native John Burke hitting a long basket from side court, Maree pulled further away before another three-pointer from Haines inside the final minute all but killed off the tie.

Meanwhile, Killester collected their fourth Women’s National Cup, and third under coach Mark Grennell, following a 96-70 win over Meteors in Sunday’s Paudie O’Connor Cup decider at the same venue.

Although going into the game as underdogs, Killester were deserved winners where MVP Chanell Williams led the line superbly for the north Dublin outfit.

Overall, it was a good day for Killester’s two Americans who scored 51 points between them, with Chyna Latimer just edging out Williams as the top scorer with 26 points.

For Meteors, it was a day to forget with their Irish international Dayna Finn forced to leave the court injured with 5.29 left in the game.

Crucially, Killester would hold Meteors 6ft 3in forward Claire Melia to just 13 points on a day when Meteors’s offence never really clicked despite a good display inside from Celena Taborn.

The turning point of the game came midway through the third quarter before a three-pointer from Killester captain Michelle Clarke moved her side nine points clear with three minutes left in the quarter.

However, Meteors were unable to muster a response as Killester continued to hit them from the outside and with a 14-point lead heading into the final period, Killester never looked in danger after that.