Cork basketball: UCC Demons on top as Neptune find form and Ballincollig struggle
Energywise Ireland Neptune coach Pat Casey says a few words in the ear of Chancellor Hunter during the recent Mens Super League basketball match against Tralee Warriors in Neptune Stadium. Picture: Howard Crowdy
We are down to the closing weeks of the Men’s and Women’s Super-Leagues and there will be two crucial games tomorrow with Energywise Ireland Neptune hosting Maree and Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig welcoming Bright St Vincent’s to the MTU.
Neptune will be pleased with their two wins last weekend and a win against relegated Maree will seal the deal for the Blackpool outfit in their quest for the play-offs.
There is a good chance if Neptune take eighth place, they will play their great Cork rivals UCC Demons at the Mardyke Arena. The problem for Neptune is that the majority of teams around them in the table have got them on head-to-head games and with a trip to Sligo All Stars in the final game of the regular season they will want to see off Maree without too much fuss.
Looking at Neptune in their win over Tralee Warriors they played okay in snatches but much of their play in the offence court is all about individualism.
In a nutshell, Neptune are waiting for players to produce baskets without setting plays and this will be punished against the better sides.
Tamyrik Fields is a good scorer but he needs to focus more on what is going on around him on court as he tends to lose concentration. Chance Hunter can be useful but tends to pick up fouls easily; he is capable of hurting teams.
Bosman Jaksa Sola is another player that is consistently in foul trouble and he needs to be smarter if his team are to make a serious bid in the play-offs.
Maree have suffered relegation in points deducted for an illegal act of registering players at the start of the season, but the punishment rightfully fitted the offence.
Surely Neptune should have few problems in winning this game.
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig are another team that need inspiration a losing their last four games in the Super League as they get ready to host Bright St Vincent’s at the MTU tomorrow (4pm).
The Cork side will be hoping to have their Irish international Adrian O’Sullivan back as he missed Sunday’s defeat at Tralee Warriors and only lasted five minutes in their home loss to UCD Marian.
Lack of consistent high scoring from the Ballincollig Irish players has been noticeable this season and they will need to get it right against a Vincent’s side that have been playing with only one American for the past three games.
Ballincollig have a very hard-working American in Jake Wolfe but Quashawn Lane is not putting the numbers up needed at this level, with only six points in their loss at Tralee.
UCC Demons have had a marvelous season, despite losing in the National Cup final, to Killester but their league form has been from the top drawer.
In last Sunday’s win over Killester they showed class beyond belief and got revenge in style for their cup loss.
It is common knowledge that Demons have very passionate supporters and the atmosphere at the Mardyke was a carnival in every sense of the word.
Captain David Lehane was involved in a verbal spat before picking up two technical fouls that ultimately saw him ejected from the game.
Lehane was unlucky as the Killester player got away without punishment but it changed the direction of the game as Demons dug deepest coming down the stretch.
A trip to Killorglin is always a tricky fixture but with the finish line in sight, Demons will want to win at the Kerry venue.
There is one derby game in the Women’s Super League when Catalyst Fr Mathew’s will be eager to get a win against Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell at Fr Mathew’s Arena.
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