Men’s National Basketball League
Report: Enda Walshe
There was certainly plenty of drama in this season opener played in the SETU College Hall in Waterford which ended when the game was abandoned due to a leaking vent making conditions slippery and dangerous.
With two minutes and 58 seconds to go in the final quarter, moisture was gathering on the floor from a leaking vent in the ceiling, with the result that Lakers player Shane Daly took a heavy tumble on the slippery surface.
The game was halted as the affected area was dried with play resuming after a prolonged break but with 19 seconds remaining, and Waterford Vikings holding a slender advantage, 69-68, more moisture had accumulated on the playing surface with the result that the game was abandoned.
At the time of writing it is believed that the sanction for failing to find a suitable alternative venue to finish the game is forfeiture of the game and therefore the points would be awarded to Lakers.
As with all decisions, the Vikings hold the right of appeal so this may rumble on but, for now, Scot’s Lakers are in possession of the points.
The game itself was a real ding dong affair which exploded into life after a slow start. Eoin Carroll had the privilege of opening the Lakers’ account for the season and that was soon followed by a Patrick Lanipekun three-pointer.
Mikah Blackwell, who finished with 42 points, also found his range to open up a 9-0 lead. Lakers’ old boy Aaron Jackson lined out for the Vikings and, alongside James Aboaba, he reeled in the lead and forged the host 13- 11 clear.
The second quarter was equally tight, Lanipekun streaking clear early to stuff home a dunk. John Hughes, Jamie O’Sullivan, Mark Sheehan and Jack O’Sullivan were all introduced from the bench at various stages to help maintain the Lakers intensity.
Marius Huber climbed off the Vikings’ bench to claim four points but Blackwell was finding his range to stay in touch.
Shane Daly, making his national league debut, hit from downtown but the imposing Osilama was rampant inside, meaning Blackwell had to be at his best to keep the Lakers in touch, with the hosts holding a slender 32-31 half-time lead.
Halloween may not be for another couple of weeks but there were plenty of fireworks in the third quarter. Blackwell hit 12 points in an explosive three minutes, hitting both inside and outside. Those efforts were sandwiched between further points from Carroll and Lanipekin and the Lakers were now in the ascendancy, 47-32 clear.
But Jackson put on his own light show, hitting bombs from downtown and with Aboaba chipping in, the Vikings regained the initiative, 53-49.
Despite Rui Saravia netting early Jackson was ebullient and with the help of Dale Kavanagh, they sailed clear 65-54. But as they had done at stages during the game the Lakers defended with great vigour and they succeeded in putting in some big stops.
Daly, Blackwell and Lanipekun eroded that lead, despite some profligacy from the charity stripe. This quarter understandably lost its momentum due to the stoppages with the floor but the Lakers had succeeded in whittling down the lead to one when the venue became unplayable.
Mikah Blackwell was on fire with 42 points, Patrick Lanipekun had 12, Shane Daly seven, Eoin Carroll four and Rui Saravia three.
For the Vikings Aaron Jackson was 6/6 from three-point land to score 33, James Aboaba had 15 and Osilama sven. Dale Kavanagh, Marius Huber and Daniel Sheehan all had four.
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