Pyrobel Killester are the MissQuote.ie Super League champions after they beat FloMAX Liffey Celtics 90-62 in the play-off final at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday.
It's their first women's Super League title since 1980.
The sides were forced into a play-off after they both finished with equal 17-3 records at the end of the regular season.
Killester made a fast start in this decider and never really looked back. MVP Ieva Bagdanaviciene picked up 11 points in the opening quarter, as the Dublin club opened up an 23-12 lead. FloMAX Liffey Celtics closed that gap, helped by Alexandra Navarette’s three along to way, to trail 23-17 by the end of the first.
But Killester raced out of the blocks in the second quarter, and captain Michelle Clarke’s three from the corner just before the midpoint had them 36-19 to the good.
A Sorcha Tiernan fast-break and layup, followed by a pair of Navarette free throws got FloMax Liffey Celtics up and running.
However a Bagdanaviciene three from the corner followed - which brought her tally to 17 at that stage - and Killester were 39-23 up with three and a half minutes to go in the quarter. The Lithuanian would finish with 26 points.
A long range three by Tiernan, from midway between the halfcourt and three point line, with a little over 30 seconds to go in the second quarter saw Liffey Celtics trail 43-32, but Claire Melia had the last say, her layup helping Killester to a 45-32 half-time lead.
Melia opened the third quarter with a layup and a two point jump shot, Killester appeared to have a firm grip on proceedings, 49-32 up.
They had a 25-point lead, 63-38, with a little over two minutes to go in the third, following Michelle Clarke’s effort from the three point line, another Melia lay-up and Bagdanaviciene’s basket. Killester would be 69-46 ahead by the end of the quarter.
Killester, who won the Paudie O’Connor Cup last season, didn’t allow FloMAX Liffey Celtics back into it in the fourth, Bagdanaviciene’s layup had Killester 80-56 up with a little over four minutes to go and Mark Grennell’s side closed the game out, for a 90-62 success.
"It’s huge," said Killester captain Michelle Clarke. "That was my auntie (Breda Dick) presenting the trophy to me. The last time Killester won it was her and her sisters - 44 years in the making.
"I have played in Super League for long enough and it’s my first one, it doesn’t come around often enough, but it means so much, I am so thrilled to do it with this group as well.
"It was a great game, I am sure that Liffey will feel they could have done more in that game. We’re really proud of that performance, we didn’t really slip up too much to give them an opportunity to get back into it, we’ll definitely celebrate this one and get back to things on Tuesday."
