Newly-crowned Pat Duffy Cup champions Killester avoided a National Cup hangover thanks to a second-half performance that saw them battle back from eight points down late in the second quarter to beat Belfast Star 86-78 in Clontarf in the Men's Super League.
Isiah Dasher and Baptiste Chazelas carded a combined 37 points and 25 rebounds for the current table-toppers to see off a Star side that mounted a strong challenge, with De Ondre Jackson and Darweshi Hunter each putting 21 on the scoreboard.
Beaten National Cup finalists UCC Demons managed to remain hot on the heels of Killester after they battled their way back from 11 points down in the closing seven minutes to edge defending champions Griffith College Éanna 94-91 in an enthralling battle in Coláiste Éanna on Saturday night.
Both teams boasted a great spread on the scoresheet, Demons ending the game with five players in double figures, including Elijah Tillman on a game-best 26 points, while Patrick Robinson and James Hannigan weighed in with 17 apiece.
Tyland Crawford was the most prolific of the five who doubled for Éanna, putting up 19 points on the night with Stefan Desnica just one shy of that total.
A Beni Fungula three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining proved the difference in the end as Flexachem KCYMS clinched an 85-82 victory at home against Maree.
Jeffrey Okeke and Jordan Blount bagged 45 points and 15 rebounds in a gripping tug-of-war that saw the Killorglin side cough up a 21-point lead to fall seven behind before regaining the initiative down the stretch.
Maree had Joshua McGettigan and Miles Brown on a combined 44, but even that significant effort was not enough to see them over the line.
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU bounced back swiftly from Thursday night’s agonising three-point derby defeat at the hands of Energywise Ireland Neptune when they stormed to a 101-69 victory over Templeogue in MTU Arena on Saturday evening.
Todd Wolfe converted four of his five three-point attempts en route to a 33-point total for the home side, while Sean McManus chipped in with 11 rebounds and 13 points to help see off a Templeogue side, for whom Samuel Henderson and Jacolbey Owens put up a combined 39 points.
