Full house as McEvoy's Eagles get off to a flyer

Basketball

Last Sunday, Virginia Show Centre was packed to the rafters with a sea of blue. Excitement was high as supporters eagerly awaited McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles’ season opener and their first game in the National League. It did not disappoint; with an electric atmosphere, the Eagles got off to a winning start in a very exciting game against SETU Carlow.

The game exploded into action with Eagles’ American Alarie Mayze and captain Ciara Tolan laying down a statement of intent with a pair of back-to-back opening three-pointers. As a team, the Eagles began strongly, racing out to an early 10-point lead only for Carlow to pull back thanks to high scoring from their American professional, Scout Frame. By the end of the first quarter the game was level again at 21 apiece. In the second quarter the Eagles upped their defensive effort. Lopez and Brady made life difficult for the Carlow offense, who were pretty much limited to free throw scoring for the quarter. At half-time, the Eagles had moved into a six-point lead, 37-31, but the game was still very much in the balance.

The third quarter saw the Eagles live up to their name, powerful, agile, and fast, they pushed forward, playing at a quicker pace and scoring on the fast break. Excellent defence from Niamh Tolan and Ciara Brady was causing problems for Carlow and again Mayze and Ciara Tolan were to the fore, racking up multiple baskets in a high-scoring quarter, including a buzzer beating putback by Mayze from a missed three-pointer. Carlow now looked to be introuble, as Eagles’ intense defence and high-paced offense allowed them to outscore their opponents 30-15 in the quarter, finishing with 20-point lead.

Basketball is often described as a game of runs, and sure enough Carlow went on a scoring run at the start of the fourth quarter. Before too long Carlow had pulled back to within five points, a sharp reminder that wins don’t come easy at this level. To their credit, the Eagles showed their quality in an exciting finish, pushing the lead back out to 12 points and going on to secure a deserved first win, 84-72.

After the game, assistant coach Carol Verschoyle said that it was a “solid performance from the girls”, stating that there were “some great individual and team performances”. She made note of the supporters, “fans were fantastic and lifted the team”.

Indeed, the performances of Mayze and Ciara Tolan were special, scoring 29 and 21 points respectively, along with some impressive defence. No doubt this is something that will have been noted by future opposition.

While the coaching team are happy with the start, one does get a sense that this is only the beginning, something echoed by Mayze, who said it was “an incredible start, as a team we have a lot to improve and grow on.”

Another common thread was the appreciation of players and coaches alike for the supporters, with captain Ciara Tolan emphasising “the electric atmosphere” and Mayze delighted with “so many fans coming out to support our team, we are so grateful for our supporters”.

A flying start for the Eagles, but according to all involved only a start and this certainly is a team on the rise. Next firmly in the cross hairs is Swords Thunder, who the Eagles play away this coming Sunday at ALSAA (Dublin Airport). Swords Thunder also won their season opener, against Oblates 53-50, and will give nothing easy. The next Eagles’ home game is Saturday October 15, 3pm, against Oblates, when a large home crowd is expected once again. Tickets will be available to reserve via the Eagles Facebook page.