Kestrels flying high after big win over Leixlip in NICC Men’s National Cup opener

Kestrels 76 BC Leixlip 55 KESTRELS have set up a clash with Waterford Vikings in the last 16 of the NICC Men’s National Cup following their impressive 21-point triumph over BC Leixlip in the opening round of the competition in Coláiste Íosagáin on Sunday night.

Going up against a Leixlip side that had reached the quarter-finals of this competition last season and the semi-finals the year before, Kestrels took three of the four quarters in convincing fashion, James Byrne emerging their most prolific scorer on a game-high 24 points, while Jordan Fallon and Liam Guinan combined for further 29, the latter draining four efforts from beyond the arc.

For Leixlip, three of their starters, Mazvydas Cepliauskas, Arturaz Zvirblis and Ugnius Brenkevicius finished in double digits, but apart from a strong second quarter, the visitors struggled to gain much traction at both ends of the floor.

Certainly, John Dunphy, Kestrels head coach, was delighted with the display his players served up on Sunday night, telling the *****Laois Nationalist*****: “It was a very pleasing performance all round.

“Offensively, I felt we mixed it up very well between a strong inside game and great movement outside the perimeter.

“BC Leixlip are a great team, with very high basketball IQ, and who put continuous pressure on you on multiple fronts, but I was particularly pleased with our defensive effort and tactical awareness. We got our defensive switches correct for the most part,” he said.

While Leixlip did draw first blood on Sunday by way of a Cepliauskas deuce, Kestrels’ response was emphatic, the Portarlington side accounting for the game’s next 14 points, starting with a bucket from James Byrne just over two minutes in.

Sean Smith and Fallon also got involved in that early surge, while Guinan weighed in with the first of his trebles to help see Kestrels take a strong grip on proceedings.

Cepliauskas did get Leixlip’s side of the scoreboard ticking again, but they were still held to just nine points for the entire first quarter, while their hosts put up 26.

The Kildare outfit, however, did appear to have found their feet in the second period with a 12-point run, that included a treble from Cepliauskas and inside scores from Andrius Urnikis and Brenkevicius hauling them back to within just five of their opponents.

But Kestrels somehow managed to stay out in front, Guinan picking up their first score of the second quarter with more than four minutes gone in that period.

Tadgh Jedbefume also carded some important buckets from the field, while Fallon added enough from the free-throw line to help see them hold on to a 34-29 lead heading into the half-time interval.

Another single from Jedbefume and a treble from Guinan enlarged the gap back to nine, but Leixlip remained hot on their heels thanks to efforts from Cepliauskas, Zvirblis and Brenkevicius.

Kestrels, nevertheless, dug in and produced a timely seven-point run just when they needed it most, Byrne accounting for four in that crucial period which went a long way to helping see them take a 54-41 lead into the final 10 minutes.

And they refused to afford their guests a way back into contention from there until the final buzzer, hitting the opening five points of that period through Guinan and Fallon and then keeping Leixlip very much at bay with solid defending.

Indeed, it was a very composed finish by the Laois side, who will now be pitched against a Waterford team that edged a thrilling last-32 encounter with Éanna 68-66 the previous day.

Looking ahead to that upcoming road trip, Kestrels chief, Dunphy warned “Waterford Vikings are another top team who will no doubt try to use home court advantage to put pressure on us early doors, but we’re really looking forward to the challenge.” KESTRELS: Liam Guinan, Brian Chinda, Jordan Fallon, Apostolis Verges, Sean Smith, Ross Muldowney, Tadgh Jedbefume, James Byrne.

Top Scorers: James Byrne (24), Jordan Fallon (15), Liam Guinan (14).

BC LEIXLIP: Arturaz Zvirblis, Eimantas Geraltauskas, Kestutis Kamulevicius, Andrius Urnikis, Mazvydas Cepliauskas, Andrius Lekavicius, Modestas Gargasas, Kevin Foley, Ugnius Brenkevicius.

Top Scorers: Mazvydas Cepliauskas (12), Arturaz Zvirblis (11), Ugnius Brenkevicius (10).