UCC Demons win ugly but who cares, they are SuperLeague champions

The Americans call it winning ugly and while it was ugly as a spectacle for long periods, no one in UCC Demons will care what it is called.

Danny O’Mahony has assembled a squad that has a bit of everything that is needed to win at the highest level. And they showed it all in their fantastic 94-92 win over a Killester side who were hoping to do the double.

Demons are SuperLeague champions and deserve the title as the best team in the country.

No one can argue they are not that. They have led the league all season and came through three dramatic play-off games against Neptune (twice) and Tralee, so no one can say they got this title easy.

Prior to this SuperLeague final everything pointed to another very close game and the big question was, would UCC Demons gain revenge for their national cup final loss to the same opposition in January?

The two best teams in the country were going head-to-head again and the stats showed that there is very little between the two teams.

During the regular season, both teams won 20 of their 26 games, both won their home game against the other while losing the away tie. Demons averaged 98.2 points per game while conceding 92.1, while Killester averaged 91 points per game while conceding 85.2 points per game.

So, we knew it was going to be close. And it certainly was that.

There were lots of questions that need to be answered by the Demons players to show us that performance, against Killester in the cup final was a blip.

Those questions were answered by UCC Demons on Sunday afternoon in the National Basketball Arena.

Patrick Robinson was the star. Hitting 31 points he led the team as he has done all season in the league to prove he is one of the best scorers in the county.

Tillman played his part. While he ended with 17 points it was his work under the board and vital rebounds that gave his team the edge. Christensen ended with 11 points and all three professional players will feel good about their contributions.

But for me, the Irish players were the difference. They all bring different skill-sets to the court.

DOGGED

Captain David Lehane leads by example, Kyle Hosford and Blake Murphy play with a street smartness that gives this team an ability to win ugly while enjoying their role doing the hard work away from the ball that is seldom recognised.

James Hannigan has become a star in this league. His selection as an All-Star proves how great a player he has become and I have no doubt his brother Scott will have a similar impact as his minutes improve next season.

At the end of an ugly first half of basketball, the sides were level 49 each (in the cup final it was 45-41 to Killester) Demons had set out their stall early in this game. 

Show Killester no respect. Get into them early and make every play very difficult for them. Do not give an inch on any occasion.

Turn this game into a battle and they did that in bucket loads. Hosford, Lehane and Blake Murphy played this game on the edge and it made a difference.

Match that controlled aggression then with the street basketball skills of Patrick Robinson who hit 18 points, nine from Tilman from under the boards and nine points from the Hannigan twins, Scott and James and Killester had a problem to solve at the break.

Demons have yet to hit the purple patch that they usually do at some point and on felt if they could put some space between themselves and Killester early in the third, the game would be there for the taking.

At the end of the third Demons led by three 75-72 thanks in the main to the scoring prowess of Robinson, who was the game’s MVP and ended with 35 points and Tilman who dominated the scoring for the Cork side, but it was their defence that was making the difference.

Killester came out of the traps in the fourth and went on a 12-3 run in the opening three minutes to lead 83-78. Demons were struggling to stay in the game and when Kyle Hosford was ejected from the game after his second technical foul shortly after this run Demons were in real trouble.

But as they have done all season, they found a way back into the final and with Robinson, Tillman, Lehane and Christensen and James Hannigan hitting vital baskets and showing nerves of steel, Demons found a way to win the title they deserved all season.

And it was the one they wanted most.