Neptune land big blow on UCC Demons in Super League relegation battle
Tamyrik Fields, UCC Demons, under pressure from Mike Hayes, Neptune, during their Dominos Super League match at Neptune Stadium. Picture: Dan Linehan
Bragging rights to Energywise Ireland Neptune as they easily disposed of UCC Demons in the bottom-of-the-table Domino’s Men’s Super League clash at a packed Neptune Stadium on Saturday.
In a game that failed to ignite for long periods, so much at stake tension was at a premium for both sides. The defeat for Demons really brought home to their fans how the mighty have fallen... from championship winners to realistically favourites to take the dreaded drop to Division 1 next season.
This was a game that Neptune’s professionals certainly turned up as Samuel Henderson (28), Adon Gregorio (23) and Mike Hayes (18) accounted for 69 points of their tally with Demons pros only chipping in with 45 points.
The home side only took 10 seconds to nail the opening basket only for Demons to respond immediately with a Tala Fam drive to the hoop. Demons were playing a big-zone but Neptune were getting clear looks and midway through the quarter the home side led 10-8.
For the third consecutive game Demons American Tamyrik Fields looked out of sorts in the offence court, though he did produce consecutive baskets in the eighth minute that brought the sides level at 14 points each.
It was evident with so much at stake, errors were evident from both sides but Neptune who went the quarter without committing a single foul had a three-point advantage entering the second period.
On the restart, Neptune drained consecutive three pointers as Demons looked all at sea at both ends of the court. Neptune were in the ascendency as they surged into 10 point lead following a second Samuel Henderson three-pointer.
A slammer from Mike Hayes followed and Demons immediately called a time-out as they looked a side firmly on the ropes. Losing Jordan Washington at the start of the quarter when picking up his third foul didn’t help Demons' cause, but they looked a side in total disarray with Neptune hurting them big time inside and outside the arc.
As the quarter matured, Neptune continued to score at will and with 1.39 remaining to the interval the home side led comfortably 51-35.
It was baffling how Demons were struggling to score as Neptune made them work hard to get clear looks and with no outside threat their task all that bit easier. Demons got possession with 38 seconds remaining which saw Tala Fam drain a basket but Neptune looked comfortable at the break when commanding a 16-point lead: 53-37.
Looking at the half-time stats, Neptune were 11/18 inside the paint or 61% and outside the arc they made 8/17 (47%). Demons' stats probably summed up their half with 16/32 inside the paint (50%) but their shooting outside the arc was dismal with a 1/12 reading (8%).
Whatever Demons' coaching staff were thinking in playing zone defence in the first half was mind-boggling as Neptune were basically hurting them with unchallenged looks.
On the restart, Demons switched to man-to-man and with James Hannigan leading the charge, they managed to reduce the deficit to nine points, 68-59 entering the final quarter. Their pressure defence looked to be working and a Daryl Cuff mid-range jumper brought it back to seven points with seven minutes remaining.
That’s as good as it got for Demons as their out-of-control plays and shots accounted for little as the rampant Neptune side ran out deserving winners.
S Henderson 28, A Gregorio 23, M Hayes 18, E Nelson 12.
T Fields 24, T Fam 14, D Cuff 13, J Hannigan 11.
D O’Rourke, K O’Donoghue, C Glover, E Lenihan, R Ware, N Power, E Nelson, A Heaphy, N Sabata, A Gregorio, P Osagie.
S Hannigan, B Horgan, J Beckom, L Sutton, K Hosford, J Hannigan, D Lehane, T Fam Thiam, D Cuff, C Looney, L Kivuvu, T Fields, J Washington.
Emma Perry (Dublin), Catriona White (Dublin), Emer Buckley (Kerry).
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