THE ESB Superleague finals will return to the spiritual home of Irish basketball next week in the plush surroundings of The Mardyke Arena, Cork's newest centre.

A MONTH into the ESB Superleague few would have predicted BurgerKing Limerick and Gleneagle Lakers would be fighting out the most important game of the season on the last weekend of the competition.

DEFENDING champions, Mardyke UCC Demons, have drawn giant killers Team Merry Monk Ballina in the first of the ESB National Cup semi-finals and yesterday Ballina secretary Eamonn Kennedy warned their performance against Dart Killester at the weekend was no flash in the pan.

DEFENDING champions Neptune added to St Vincent’s woes by inflicting a second defeat of the weekend on them in Glasnevin as the new conference structure in Irish basketball went into its first series of crossover games.

TOM HEHIR, the Burger King Limerick Coach, faces a race against time in a bid to sign an American before tomorrow night’s ESB SuperLeague clash with Waterford Crystal at the University Arena.