![](https://www.killarneytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Jack-Ferguson-2-253x300.jpg?x75184)
Scott’s Lakers St Paul’s 85
Killarney Cougars 66
Enda Walshe reports
The biggest crowd for many a day at a Killarney basketball occasion witnessed a derby game that was high in intensity, had plenty thrills and spills and although an argument could be made that it was slightly lacking in quality at times, endeavour and effort were in full supply.
Killarney Cougars betrayed the look of a team looking for its first win as it brought a huge hunger to the game and while defeat was their lot in the end, they could gleam plenty of positives out of the encounter.
They succeeded in frustrating the Lakers’ offence, Jack Ferguson aside, for long periods and with Esebio Strijdhaftig and Darren Townes pulling the strings, they actually held a nine-point lead early in the second half.
But the huge effort they invested in taking the game to the Lakers took its toil and a stronger and more energetic home squad swept past them like a tsunami in the final quarter.
The win gave the Lakers their sixth win of the season and they head to Limerick next weekend with a wet sail to face the Southern Conference top team the Sport Eagles.
Prior to tip-off there was 24 seconds of applause, impeccably observed, in memory of the late Garreth Blount, a talented and well-known basketball player from Cork who passed away at an all too early age after an illness.
![](https://www.killarneytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Darren-Townes-202x300.png?x75184)
Jamie O’Sullivan was rewarded for his recent upsurge in form with a starting berth alongside Jack Ferguson, Aron Walker, Rui Saravia and Ronan Collins but it was the Cougars who shone brightest early on.
Tommy Bowler, Darren Townes and Esebio Strijdhaftig all combined for 12 early points. Dutch guard Strijdhaftig, who started the season as a Laker, looked keen to impress from the off while captain Saravia helped settle the home side.
It was only a matter of time that Jack Ferguson would warm up and he did so in typical fashion, hitting 13 points on the spin.
Another Laker old boy, Andrew Fitzgerald, was sticking at it while Jack O’Sullivan’s cameo tightened the game to a point, 21-20, in Cougars’ favour. Townes’ three from the free-throw line was answered by another Ferguson three and it saw the Cougars hold sway at quarter time, 24-23.
The second quarter was low in scoring but high in honesty as every ball was fiercely contested and it was from these moments that fed the Cougars momentum. Jack Ferguson found himself on three fouls and with Esebio, Townes and Bowler clicking the Cougars held the initiative.
![](https://www.killarneytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-27-at-16.05.03-1-137x300.png?x75184)
Senan O’Leary and Jack Ferguson brought it back to two, 30-28, before Aron Walker was afforded the freedom of the gym to ram home a monster dunk.
Darragh Lyne made his first appearance of the season for the Lakers and his two assists set up Ferguson and Ronan Collins. But Esebio and Townes kept the Cougars in it, a point emphasised by Conor Flynn’s three-pointer, which was the half-time difference, 38-35.
The half-time cup of tea clearly suited the Cougars better as they flew out of the third quarter traps, Alexander Fleming and Tommy Bowler hitting threes, and Townes going to work inside.
Rui Saravia, playing a disciplined game on three fouls, and Ferguson hit back as did Aron Walker and Jamie O’Sullivan. When Esebio picked up his fourth foul and Ferguson converted two free throws to level it at 48 each, one could almost sense a little tremor in the swing of momentum.
Townes, Jack Lynch and Flynn fought against the dying light though and with Walker, Collins with a three and the two Jacks, Ferguson and O’Sullivan, pulling the Lakers level a grandstand fourth quarter was in the offing.
But that little tremor in momentum soon became an earthquake as a ravenous and fresher Lakers side upped the ante to a level the tiring Cougars found hard to live it.
![](https://www.killarneytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Esebio-Strijdhaftig--196x300.jpg?x75184)
Despite Andrew Fitzgerald hitting the opening salvo the Lakers quickly took over. The Jacks combined beautifully for the O’Sullivan version to land a great basket and Paul Clarke hit a nice jump shot.
Esebio and Tommy Bowler hit back but then Aron Walker hit two rapid fire baskets and then a huge three to open out a nine-point lead, 72-63.
The highlight of the game and the biggest cheer though was reserved for Jack O’Sullivan, who channelled his inner Air Jordan to almost pull the rim but definitely the house down with a spectacular dunk.
Ferguson, almost politely and under the radar hitting 34 points on the night, followed that up with a three-point play and suddenly the lead was out to 79-63.
Conor Flynn and Townes hit consolation scores before Senan O’Leary and Jamie O’Sullivan had the last word to see the Lakers run out 85-66 winners.
Result aside, the occasion and the capacity crowd reflects the enthusiasm for basketball in the town of Killarney and it’s doubtful that there was a bigger attendance at any other venue this weekend.
Top scorers for Lakers: Ferguson 34, Walker 13, Jack O’Sullivan 10, Saravia 8, and Jamie O’Sullivan 8l, Collins 5, Clarke 2, O’Leary 4, Bencic 1.
Top scorers for Cougars: Townes 23, Strijdhaftig 16, Bowler 9, Flynn 7, Lynch 4, Fitzgerald 4, Fleming 3.
KillarneyToday.com: Everyone reads it – ask anyone. Call 087-2229761 to advertise