SBC GotW report: St Mirren 83-81 Sony Centre Fury

Chris Cleary scored the game-winning basket with less than a second on the clock as St Mirren overcame Sony Centre Fury 83-81 in the Soho Wealth SBC Game of the Week on Friday night.

Nick Collins (26 points) started the game strongly for the home side, scoring eight of their opening ten points. Zygimantas Dauksas (12 points) boasted similar numbers for Fury, adding seven of their opening ten points, with the game’s first three-pointer from Bantu Burroughs (20 points) the only other score.

Fergus Harte added six of his seven points in the first quarter for St Mirren, whilst Captain Keith Bunyan (14 points) and Edvinas Leginas (10 points) both found the basket from outside the arc for Fury. Both teams traded baskets throughout as the game was tied after one. 23-23.

A three-pointer from Bunyan gave Fury the lead early in the second, an advantage that they held until the half. An and-one – followed by another basket from Burroughs – gave fury a five-point lead, with St Mirren staying within touching distance through Ali Salimy, Steven Murdoch and Chris Barron (10 points).

Adam Hammerschmidt, who moved from fury to St Mirren in the summer, recorded his first basket of the game but Falkirk’s Makeleb McInnis (11 points) opened his account to keep Fury ahead. Fury continued to hold their lead, going into the break up by seven. 39-46.

St Mirren came back into the game early in the third, with a 6-2 scoring run bringing the hosts back to within a basket of the lead. Commonwealth Games duo Collins and Cleary combined for 17 points as St Mirren briefly restored their advantage.

With Fury conceding their lead, they added three three-pointers late in the quarter – courtesy of Bunyan and McInnis, to take a one-point advantage into the fourth quarter. 65-66.

The two teams traded baskets early in the fourth, with Hammerschmidt scoring for St Mirren and Burroughs replying for Fury, before the home side opened up a five-point lead with just over four minutes on the clock through a Cleary three.

Fury fought back with a 5-0 run, tying the game with two minutes to play. Collins and McInnis both added a free throw for their respective teams, as the game entered the final minute. In the end it was St Mirren who triumphed, with Chris Cleary adding the final basket in the final second 83-81.