DELTA NOTRE DAME became only the fourth Irish side in over 20 years to win the Roy Curtis International tournament when they defeated Amsterdam 84-80 in the final at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght yesterday.
Playing on their home court, Delta led for almost the entire game before a frantic final quarter during which both teams held the lead.
The inspiration behind Delta's final surge for victory was provided by their player coach Anthony Jenkins. With the teams level at 76 all and just over four minutes left, Jenkins hit a three pointer, two free throws and a two point basket in the space of just 75 seconds, to put Delta 83-76 ahead.
Amsterdam responded to reduce the deficit to three points with 90 seconds to go, but the score remained at 83-80 in Delta's favour until the last 30 seconds at which point Amsterdam cut loose in an effort to send the match to overtime.
First their American Bud Greer threw a three point attempt which spun agonisingly around the basket and then Jerome de Vries sent up another effort from outside the line but it bounced off the rim as well. From the breakaway, Lennie McMillan earned two free throws for Delta with 10 seconds remaining and he made the second one count to put the game out of Amsterdam's reach.
Delta had dominated the opening half from the moment Sean Bell put them ahead with the first basket of the game. They went on to take a 14 point lead (35-21) before Amsterdam reduced the deficit to just three at the interval (44-41).
Three minutes into the second half, Delta led 54-45 but the next seven minutes belonged to the Dutchmen and they finally levelled the match at 65 all through a Martin Esajas basket with just over 10 minutes remaining.
In the following five minutes, Amsterdam led three times until that Jenkins surge from 76 all provided the impetus which carried the delighted Delta squad to the most notable victory in their history.
It was the second occasion over the weekend that they had beaten the tournament favourites and they also defeated second placed Budweiser Superleague club Star of the Sea, 66-62, in the semi final earlier in the day.
Star had the consolation of winning the third place play off as they defeated the third ranked British Superleague side Chester Jets, 74-66.
Elsewhere, the most notable aspect of the under 19 Sprite Cup qualifying competitions around the country at the weekend was the achievement of both the Killester men's and women's teams to qualify for the finals on January 28th and 29th, 1997.
