Thrilling start to new basketball season at the NSC

There was a thrilling start to the 2026/27 Isle of Man basketball season as current title holders DGU Jets were pushed all the way by a refreshed Southern Phoenix line up on Thursday evening.

There was an aggressive start as Phoenix veteran Matthew Jones splashed a three-pointer in the opening minute at the NSC, quickly followed by two fast break baskets from newcomer Rowan Coulter.

Trailing, Jets pushed a solid offensive set but their engines misfired and left the skies clear for Phoenix to soar with another barrage of three-pointers and fast break baskets from Jones and Coulter, launching Phoenix to a 21-7 lead by the mid-point of the first quarter.

Jets fought back in the final minutes of the quarter, a series of inside moves from Pete Boussougou leading to foul free-throws that narrowed the gap, 26-19 to Phoenix at the end of the first.

Phoenix struggled a little on offence in the second, through outside shooting from Coulter and older brother Vannin kept them ahead for most of the quarter.

Jets found success on the break and mid-range as Jake Glover and Tom Dalton-Brown found the sweet spot to draw level at half-time, 42-42.

Momentum stayed with Jets in the early minutes of the third but Phoenix again pushed the pace to devastating effect as Michael Pardoe joined Jones to steal the lead back, 62-57 at the end of the third.

The final quarter was a to-and-fro affair that started in Jets’ favour as Glover ran the lanes and Wayne Mears dropped mid-range shots to build a seven-point lead.

Phoenix’s offence initially stuttered but rose again in the final minutes with breaks from Jones and outside shooting from young rookie Brandon Bellew. The flurry brought Phoenix within two points and momentum could have carried them to an upset victory, but league veteran and Jets player/coach Paul Kilic stepped up to the mark.

A solid mid-range shot and two foul free throws on the drive helped extend Jets’ lead and left Phoenix fighting both their opponents and the clock to regain the advantage.

It proved too much in the end as Jets took a hard-fought victory, 73-81, although Rowan Coulter stole man of the match in his first Phoenix outing.

Wolves B took on Cannons Elite in the second nail-biting game of the evening, with the rosters of both sides having undergone some significant changes in the pre-season.

Cannons’ offence was dominated by outside shots, man of the match Dylan Evans proving especially lethal outside the arc with a quartet of three-pointers in the opening quarter.

Wolves, meanwhile, relied on inside clean ups from Shane Collins and aggressive pace down the court, provided by returning stars Nik Cain and Fred Atherton.

The teams were closely matched for most of the game, Wolves holding a single-point advantage at the end of the third quarter.

It was the solid shooting of Ben Campbell and Max Edwards at the start of the fourth that gave Wolves an advantage Cannons couldn’t overcome, securing a 58-48 victory at full-time.

The final game of the evening saw a dominant performance from Wolves A against Cavaliers.

Solid 3-2 zone defence from Oscar Lace, Viktor Capkanovski and Seb Smith pressured Cavaliers’ ball handlers and disrupted their advance down the court, with Lace in particular frustrating the Cavs side.

The defensive pressure led to a string of steals and fast-break baskets while swift and effective ball movement in the set offence opened plenty of perimeter opportunities, which Capkanovski and Smith happily splashed.

Cavaliers found some success in the late game, Martin French hitting the mark outside the arc,l while Les Winnicki effectively hit the backdoor cuts.

It wasn’t enough to close the gap though, Wolves A chalking up a comfortable 81-51 victory while Seb Smith took the man of the match honours through lockdown defence and hawkeye shooting on offence.

The opening games marked the first test of Isle of Man Basketball Association’s new electronic scoresheet, supported through a grant from Isle of Man Sport, with table officials learning the new system in tandem with the existing paper scoresheets.

Powered by NBN23, the electronic system allows real-time stats for all players and teams including time on the court, player efficiency, and most successful line-ups.

Supporters can access full details on every game through the association website on www.isleofmanbasketball.com

Senior League action continues this Thursday evening in the NSC Main Hall.

Hoops face Wolves B in the first game of the evening, tipping off at 7pm. A double header follows at 8.30pm as Wolves A take on Southern Phoenix II and Pirates challenge Cannons Elite.

Free courtside seating is available for any spectators wishing to attend.

Half-term doesn’t mean a stop to junior basketball with plenty of action during the school hiatus.

A complete skills day camp will run from 9am-4pm this Thursday (October 29) in the Roundhouse, Braddan.

Open to primary and secondary school students, hoops will be split by age with experienced coaches leading players through the core aspects of basketball from individual skills to team offence and defence.

Thursday will also see the continuation of the D2 Development League, where players in school years 7 to 11 can compete in structured league matches.

Running from 6-8.30pm in the NSC Main Hall every Thursday, players are allocated into league teams and play round robin games to hone their skills.

The D2 league has already led to over a dozen players transitioning into the Senior League this season and is a great pathway for young talent to advance in the sport. Player registration costs £21 for insurance, with a £3 a week court cost fee.

Saturday morning basketball also continues in the NSC Main Hall through the half term break, with open training to players aged 7 to 18.

One of the longest running youth clubs in the island, Saturday basketball allows players of all abilities to improve their skills through proven drills and competitive games.

The club runs from 9-11am every Saturday at a cost of £3 a week, paid on the door.

MARTIN DUNNE