Dynamos make emphatic start

By Stephen Leonard

OBLATE Dynamos are top of Women’s National League Division One after the opening week, at least on points difference after they dished out an emphatic 87-66 defeat to Ulster Elks in their season opener in Inchicore on Saturday.

Up 16 points at the halftime break, the Drimnagh side never looked back and powered to victory with Jen Sheehan making an impressive return to National League basketball from the club’s Senior One fold as she bagged 14 points.

American forward Meagan Hoffman top scored for the side with 18 points while Kelsey Ellis also made an impression on the scoresheet with 15.

Sara Staunton chipped in with six after being sprung from the bench with Samantha Massey contributing nine after she was introduced.

“We played well but there’s definitely room there for improvement,” insisted new Oblate coach Conor Gordan.

“While you have the be happy at puting up 87 points, 66 points is just too much to concede and we have to work on being better defensively.

“I think that comes down to new players. Six of the 12 players didn’t play with the team last season. That’s half the team,” he pointed out.

Ulster will have the chance to avenge this loss swiftly when they entertain Oblate in an immediate return fixture in UUJ on Sunday.

“One of the hardest things to do in sport is to beat the same team twice so we’ll have to play well,” stressed Gordon.