UCC Demons and Neptune constantly changing Americans in a bid to avoid relegation

The American merry go round continued last week with UCC Demons and Energywise Ireland Neptune both releasing and signing new American players in their bid to keep their Super League status.

Both sides are struggling for form and bottom of the table, with just one win each so far this season.

It all began for Neptune back in September with coach Keith Daly and Americans Zyon Dobbs and Cameron Glover.

Prior to the season they had an unnamed Spanish Bosman, who was released prior to the opening game and in the second game against Belfast Star they managed to get permission to sign another Bosman Joe-Junior Movezola.

By the third game they had brought in Gregario Adon, who had played the previous two seasons with Killester and Tralee Warriors failing to shine at both clubs.

As we now head into the Christmas period Neptune have since fired coach Daly plus Americans Dobbs and Glover with Bosman Movezola also surplus to requirements.

So the question must be with the Neptune faithful who is actually making all these decisions at the club to sign players who are not good enough to play at the top tier of Irish basketball?

The genuine basketball fans in Cork will be hoping that this is the end of the shuffling at the Blackpool club but this scribe has a feeling it may not be the ending here if results do not go their way in the coming weeks.

New coach Ciaran McKiveney took a chance by signing a former American Mike Hayes who he coached when at the helm last season with Titans.

Hayes in my book is no world beater and his performances will be closely watched starting on Saturday December 13 when they host Tralee Warriors.

They say it takes two to tango and that’s the way it is with Neptune and Demons this season.

Demons started the season with Americans Zach Hinton and Shariff Black and both haven’t made it to the Christmas festivities.

In my book, Hinton was unlucky to lose his job but his replacement Jarvis Doles made it home for Thanksgiving last Thursday as he was also shown the door after some inept displays.

Doles became the third Demons professional to be released as we await their new two signings to be introduced.

To be fair to Demons coach Danny O’Mahony, his recruiting over the three years has been excellent but what has happened in this campaign is totally out of normal at the Sunday’s Well club.

This scribe has been looking at various Americans coming into this country since 1979 but have also witnessed good players in both the Men’s and Women’s Super-Leagues failing to settle mainly because of home sickness.

Some of these players are just out of college and find it difficult to settle not alone in Cork but in various parts of Ireland.

The elimination of both Neptune and Demons from the Pat Duffy Men’s National Cup will add a little pressure to Basketball Ireland for Ballincollig to see off Belfast Star in Saturday’s quarter final clash at the MTU Arena.

Ballincollig wouldn’t have the fanbase or history of their Cork rivals Demons and Neptune but for me this season they have been a joy to watch.

A Cork team qualifying the Men’s semi- finals is always a Christmas stocking filler and the same will apply to both UCC Glanmire and Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell in their respective quarter finals.

UCC Glanmire should have too much firepower for Portlaoise Panthers whose game will now be played at the Neptune stadium (2pm).

Brunell are playing at the same time at the Gurranabraher GCU Arena when they host Liffey Celtics.

There is little doubt the Kildare side will pose them problems but if Brunell are ready to battle there is no reason why they cannot book a semi-final slot.