Cork side Rebel Wheelers secured their sixth consecutive IWA National Cup title with an impressive 81-46 victory over the Ballybrack Bulls on Friday at the National Basketball Arena.
They delivered a standout performance, led by Adam Drummond, who earned MVP honors after scoring 27 points. Teammates Dylan McCarthy and Conor Coughlan also contributed significantly, adding 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Rebel Wheelers held an 18-13 advantage at the end of the first quarter, but Ballybrack Bulls, appearing in their fourth IWA National Cup final, closed the gap to just three points early in the second quarter with a layup by Jonathan Hayes. Adam Drummond responded with a dominant stretch, scoring seven consecutive points to extend Rebel Wheelers’ lead to 25-15 just two and a half minutes into the second quarter. By halftime, Rebel Wheelers were firmly in control with a 43-27 lead, fuelled by Drummond’s impressive 17-point contribution.
Rebel Wheelers maintained their momentum in the third quarter, with McCarthy’s basket extending their lead to 50-27 just four minutes in. Jonathan Hayes, who tallied 20 points in the game, ended that scoring run and helped reduce the deficit to 19 points, 57-38, late in the quarter. However, McCarthy struck again in the final seconds, pushing Rebel Wheelers to a commanding 59-38 lead heading into the fourth.
The Cork side showed no signs of letting up in the final quarter, as captain Jack Quinn opened the scoring. They outpaced Ballybrack Bulls 22-8 in the period, with Paul Ryan delivering the game’s final basket to seal an emphatic 81-46 victory.
Speaking after the game MVP Adam Drummond reflected on his sides 6th title in a row, “Unbelievable, I think when we won last year I took a couple of days off and went straight back into it. I wouldn’t say it gets repetitive or anything, we take each moment as we can, but as a team we’re three, four nights a week. I moved up to Dublin this year, so I am only able to make one or two nights, but the lads allowed me to do that, I had to make a sacrifice, they still wanted me to play with them, so it was an easy decision. I think we train as much as a Super League team, so what you put in is what you get out and we’re getting out a lot.”
