Dublin Inter, the basketball team formally known as CMH Ballon, kicked off their first-ever Super League game with a fantastic win over DCU Saints, sending out a message to the rest of their opposition among the country’s top flight.
Defeating the Saints by a convincing 82 points to 67, the main scorers for the team on the night were Mindaugas Tamusauskas who claimed a fine tally of 26 points, Aurimas Statkus who took 16 and then finally Mazvydas Cepliauskas, team captain, who drained 13 in the side’s maiden Super League journey.
Speaking after their big win, Inter captain Cepliauskas declared his delight with the team’s success.
“Well, what can I say, the first pancake wasn’t burned,” joked the charismatic captain. “We have all been eagerly anticipating the launch of the Super League and we are delighted that our start has been a successful one.
“The final result on the night really doesn’t reflect the struggle that we had on the court. The DCU Saints are a fantastic team and the game was played at a good tempo.
“At the start, I think a lot of us were a bit tense and anxious, but as the game went on that changed, and it was certainly for the better.
“It took us a while to get used to the pace of the game and I think we found it hard in the first half. I think the main reason we were able to come out in the second half and get such a good result was because of how well the defence did on the night.
“Our free throws were a lot better in the second half of the game and that forced the Saints to leave gaps in the defence while they committed bodies forward which we did well to exploit.
“It was a great way to start our journey and I’m glad that everyone got involved in the fun and festivities. The match was a fantastic way to put the players and the supporters in good spirits for the rest of the campaign,” said Cepliauskas.
Ballon, a club that originally started in Carlow, have now extended their reach beyond Dublin, where they are now based in Palmerstown.
Since their arrival on the Irish basketball scene, Ballon have made short work of their domestic circuits, and in their 11 years as an established side, they have had their fair share of successes, both in the ladies’ and mens’ leagues, winning the Division 1 championship and the national cup last year to see them gain promotion to the Super League.
Although the team is mostly made up of players from Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the club itself have done a lot to develop the sport in the surrounding Palmerstown, Lucan and Clondalkin areas, which also was a key reason behind their inclusion in the league.
Next up for Dublin Inter are the UCC Demons, who they will meet in Super League action this Friday, October 7.
