UCC Demons end season with a big win over St Vincent's to avoid relegation play-off
DRIVEN: UCC Demons' James Hannigan drives towards the hoop against St Vincent's in the Mardyke Arena. Picture: Noel Sweeney
It was probably the highest-pressure game in UCC Demons history but their win over St Vincent’s in the Domino’s Men’s Super League guaranteed them their status in the top tier of Irish basketball for next season.
Never before has the Sunday’s Well club found themselves in this position but their season didn’t go to plan and their bacon was saved at the death on the final game of the season. Many were saying that Demons wouldn’t go down with the quality of Irish players in their squad, but the reality is they didn’t produce the goods on a consistent basis.
No doubt the club will assess the situation for next season. There will be a new coaching staff, with Danny O'Mahony stepping down having guided the club to National Cup and Super League glory, so recruiting professionals who are a right fit for this Demons squad is a priority.
The visitors were quickest from the blocks with Will Thomas draining a baseline jumper before James Hannigan responded with a long-range three-pointer. Demons were playing man-to-man defence but they were giving their opponents far too much space in the opening exchanges.
In the space of four minutes, Demons American Andres Rivera had picked two fouls and had to be replaced but their defence continued to be questionable and following a neat Thomas jumper in the sixth minute, they trailed 17-6.
Jordan Washington had a nightmare opening six minutes but then registered eight unanswered points that reduced the deficit to three. The home side were now on a roll and when Fam drained a floater in the eighth minute they were within a point of their opponents.
It was 24-22 to the visitors entering the second quarter. Two consecutive baskets edged Demons ahead on the restart, but the Saints responded with a clinical Phelan basket to tie proceedings.
James Hannigan showed his class with a stunning three and an interception lay-up that gave Demons a 36-30 lead in the 14th minute before Vincent's called a time-out. In a two-minute period Demons upped the tempo and with Hannigan shining at both ends of court, they surged into an eight-point lead.
Another Hannigan in the shape of Scott came in for his twin brother James and immediately nailed a long-range three-pointer.
The home team kept plugging away and went in at the break commanding an 11-point lead, 48-37.
Looking at the half-time stats Demons made 15/25 (60%) inside the paint and outside the arc, they shot a paltry 3/11 that showed a 27% average.
James Hannigan started the third quarter with a stunning three that was followed by a Washington basket as Demons suddenly had an 18-point lead.
One problem all season for Demons has been their tendency to relax when getting good leads and they allowed Vincent’s nail three unanswered baskets.
As the quarter matured Demons began dominating as Vincent’s had few answers to their power in the offence court. The home team introduced players like Luke Sutton and Ben Horgan, and both acquitted themselves well in a high-pressure game as they commanded a 25-point lead, 78-73, entering the fourth quarter.
Tala Fam got the fourth quarter up and running with a floater as they now looked in total control. The closing minutes were drab as Demons' class simply blew Vincent’s away in game where relief was written all over the faces of players and fans alike at the final buzzer.
J Washington 25, J Hannigan 21, T Fam 19, A Rivera 10.
W Thomas 20, A Lisweki 13, J Phelan 10.
B Murphy, S Hannigan, J Washington, L Sutton, K Hosford, J Hannigan, D Lehane, T Fam, D Cuff, B Horgan, J Beckom, L Kivavu.
J Phelan, C Coombes, C Gilligan, B Ubaekwe, D Lagoeyte, D Ebose, A Tynan, E McCann, M Garrick, L Kinsella, A Lisewski, D Ebosi, M Pierre, W Thomas.
M Landos (Portlaoise), J Vida (Dublin), Y Ni (Dublin).
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