Cork Basketball: Neptune fall to another loss against depleted Killester
Neptune's Eli Lenihan jumps and scores during the Domino's Men's Super League game against Killester at Neptune Stadium. Picture: David Creedon
Another disappointing evening at the Neptune Stadium as Energywise Ireland Neptune put in another dismal performance before going down to Killester in the Domino’s Men’s Super League.
It was a debut for new head coach Ciaran McKiveney and the Galway-based man must now be under no illusions that he has a job on his hands to keep this team competing at the top tier of Irish basketball.
The coach did his best to put his stamp on the team when replacing American Richard Ware with Michael Hayes. Hayes played under McKiveney last season when he was coaching Titans in Division 1, but the new signing was soon reminded that life in the fast lane is a little more difficult, as all he could contribute was a solitary point in his 24.36 minutes on court.
The Dublin side went into the game without their star American Robert Braswell, who picked up an ankle injury at training, and ace Spaniard Baptise Chazelas, who is recovering from concussion. On the plus side, Paul Dick returned after a three-game absence but fellow Irish international Ciaran Roe is still sidelined.
The hosts actually started well. A neat Neptune move yielded the opening basket from Cameron Glover that was followed by a superb Adon Gregorio shot outside the paint.
The home team were shooting the ball with precision as Glover followed up with another three-pointer and midway into the quarter, Neptune had a five-point lead, 15-10.
Killester, despite being depleted, continued to take the game to Neptune and with four minutes remaining in the quarter they had reduced the deficit to three points. The closing minutes were scrappy with both teams using various rotations, but Neptune led 20-18 entering the second quarter.
On the restart, Daniel Sheridan finished a fast break for the visitors but with Wilson now being rested, Killester had no professionals on court. Once again, we got into a phase of sloppiness from both sides as midway through the quarter, the home side still had a three-point cushion.
Andrew McGeever, known for his outside shooting, nailed a three in the 16th minute but the game as a spectacle was poor with some questionable shooting and passing options the order of the evening.
Killester, without excelling, kept themselves in the game and although they had a chance to convert the closing basket of the half, Paul Dick’s attempt fell short, but they still had a slender one-point lead 36-35.
After a poor first half looking at the stats made interesting reading with Neptune doing okay inside the paint, averaging 56%. It was rather different outside the paint with a 27% average or 3/11.
A huge three from Eoin Nelson gave Neptune the perfect start to the second half but Killester responded with a similar shot from Wilson that kept the Clontarf side within striking range.
It was hard to believe at this level of basketball that midway through the quarter the scoreline read 44-43 in favour of Killester as players were now struggling to put the ball in the hoop.
Credit to Killester’s Dick playing his first game after a month on the sideline, he always looked classy when his team needed baskets and with 1.33 remaining they took a six-point lead, 50-44.
Entering the crucial fourth quarter, Killester still had a six-point lead and that’s the way it stayed as Killester, inspired by MVP Dick, had too much.
C Glover 21, A Gregorio 16, E Nelson 9, E Lenihan 8.
J Wilson 20, P Dick 18, M McGrath 17, F Raheem 11.
D O’Rourke, K O’Donoghue, C Glover, E Lenihan, M Hayes, S Noonan, E Nelson, A Heaphy, N Sabata, A Gregorio, P Osagie.
A McGeever, J Wilson, C O’Reilly, D Sheridan, P Dick, M McGrath, F Raheem, J Rawdon, T Byrne, D Yang.
M Nazimek (Dublin), L Aherne (Limerick), A Wickham (Dublin).
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