The final round of fixtures before Isle of Man Basketball Association’s Christmas hiatus took place at the NSC on Thursday evening, with another trio of Senior League games in the NSC main hall.

Cavaliers took on Pirates in a 7pm tip-off, both sides keen to finish the first half of the season on a positive note.

Pirates enjoyed a solid start, moving the ball well in the opening exchanges and finding early opportunities through Neil Domingo and Mike Brereton.

Cavaliers’ defence kept the scoring low though and they gradually built momentum, using pace on the break and set plays on the half-court to pull ahead.

Their defensive efforts built throughout the quarter, forcing Pirates into tougher looks on offence, but they couldn’t stop the momentum as Nick Hamer joined the Domingo and Brereton from the mid-range.

A late flurry from Dave Boyle narrowed the gap but at the end of the quarter it was Pirates sailing ahead, 18-15.

The start of the second quarter saw Cavaliers snatch the lead, Phil Evans splashing from outside the arc while Daniel Dunajewski hit a mid-range jumper.

Pirates continued to work the drive and through mid-range looks were quickly back in the lead. The quarter remained competitive as both teams built solid defensive walls and worked their strengths on offence, Cavs mainly on the inside while Pirates powered forward through pace.

Late buckets from Louie Walker for Pirates and Dave Boyle for Cavaliers saw the lead change again, but it was the latter who were ahead by one point at the half, 29-30.

Composure proved decisive in the second half as Cavs locked down on defence, keeping Pirates to only six points, while opening up on offence with a string of drives that provided plenty of foul free-throws.

A strong fourth quarter ended Pirates’ chances, as Cavaliers maintained their defensive pressure while continuing to convert efficiently on offence, Mike Lewis and Wig Bregazzi featuring prominently.

Pirates struggled to rally, although they still showed some fight as John Russell crashed the offensive boards. It couldn’t change the result though as Cavs closed out a 67-39 victory on the buzzer.

Mike Lewis picked up man of the match for Cavaliers after a strong performance that helped steady their offence and pile pressure on Pirates in defence.

- PwC Hoops took on Wolves in the second game of the evening, with Wolves looking to maintain their return to form after recent losses to Cannons Elite and DGU Jets.

Wolves made an immediate statement in the opening quarter, pushing the pace and breaking down their opponents’ defence with the tag team of big men Cameron Scott and Shane Collins.

Patience proved a virtue for Hoops as they created solid opportunities through solid half-court sets, Gemma Kirkham and Becky Dunne taking full advantage.

Wolves kept control of the game though and the big men powered a second quarter surge that saw them head into half-time with a solid lead, 43-20.

The third quarter saw solid defensive pressure from Oscar Lace and Max Edwards lead to a string of steals and fast breaks that further built the Wolves momentum.

Hoops showed flashes of quality, particularly through their ball movement and willingness to attack gaps, but they were unable to stem the Wolves’ flow.

The final quarter was a lower-scoring and more balanced affair, although Wolves’ lead couldn’t be overcome and they closed out the contest with an emphatic 81–33 victory. Player/coach Ben Campbell took man of the match for Wolves after a standout all-round performance that anchored both their offence and defensive structure.

- The final game of the night saw Southern Phoenix face Cannons Elite in a hotly-anticipated match-up between the leagues two newest, and quickest, teams.

Cannons entered the game in confident form and wasted little time asserting themselves, moving the ball sharply and finding scoring opportunities across the floor as Oliver Hamilton and Dylan Evans found their mark.

Phoenix worked hard to create on offence, pushing the ball in transition and looking to exploit space on the drive, but Cannons’ defensive organisation limited opportunities and they trailed 11-16 at the end of the first.

Phoenix found solid success exploiting the middle of Cannons’ zone defence through the second quarter, Jowi Szetu cutting through to key on a solid 12-point run that blew the game open.

Cannons’ offence slowed and they struggled to create solid opportunities against a revitalised Phoenix defence. A late three-pointer from Rowan Coulter and a swish jumper from Raf Turla brought Cannons back into the lead but only by a single point, 27-28 at half-time.

The third quarter started was a battle of wills between the two squads, Phoenix’s inside play being shut down by Cannons’ defence while the latter’s offensive drives crashed against a solid wall of defence.

Momentum started to shift as some challenged three-pointers swished through the net for Cannons - Alfie Garrett, Jack Wilkinson and Oliver Hamilton providing the goods – which gave a burst of enthusiasm to the bench and signalled the start of a slow pull away.

Phoenix struggled to find solid scoring options with the inside denied and were trailing by 12 at the end of the third, 39-51.

Cannons’ solid momentum looked certain to win the day in the fourth until an aggressive defence revived saw Phoenix rise from the ashes. Ball pressure and quick breaks down the court had Matt Jones ranking up points and Phoenix were soon within three baskets of Cannons.

Turla and Coulter saved the day though with a trio of transition three-pointers and an offensive board put back that pushed launched Cannons back to an 18-point lead with three minutes to go.

Phoenix fought hard to the end and were rewarded with another run from Jones, but time fought against them and with the final whistle Cannons were victorious, 71-63.

- The basketball league now pauses for its Christmas break resuming on Thursday, January 15

To all players, coaches, officials and spectators, the association wishes a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Nollick Ghennal as Blein Vie Noa.

MARTIN DUNNE