Lions clinch National League play-off berth
WHILE they took their share of honours in last weekend’s Dublin Mens Cup Finals in Inchicore, Dublin Lions also saw their National League team secure a place in the Division One play-offs following a 101 to 108 victory away to Letterkenny IT.
Without a win in the opening six games of the season, the Clondalkin side has done remarkably well to make it into the play-offs.
Igor Markiewicz helped Dublin Lions clinch a play-off sport in the National League
Indeed they beat six teams in their final eight games of the regular season, and were undefeated at home since November.
But they still had to win their final game of the season against LYIT in order to secure further progress.
The hosts accounted for the opening nine points of the match before the Lions called an early time out.
They remained in touch, with LYIT leading at half time, 53-48, thanks in no small part to Chaz Watler’s 28 points.
Yet encouraged by Muhamed Sabic’s 25 points and a further 18 by Igor Markiewicz that included another double double and 17 boards, the visitors fought back.
Lions were firing on all cylinders, as Toms Lud-barzs (17 points) drained a couple of threes and grabbed huge rebounds on the offensive end, alongside Adam O’Reilly while Tomas Mikalauskas also scored heavily.
Fouled with one minute left
This 33-point haul saw them edge in front by the start of the closing quarter yet Markiewicz was fouled out with one minute left.
Nevertheless Mikalauskas was ice cold on the line, not missing a single free throw, as the Lions returned home with a play-off berth in the bag.
The squad will now head to Kerry this weekend to face the League-Champions Killorglin, in their first ever National League Play-off game.
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