UCC Demons stunned a fancied Griffith Swords Thunder 90-74 in yesterday’s thrilling Men’s Super League tie at the Mardyke Arena.

Men’s Premier League champions C&S UCC Demons face a difficult opening game in their quest to retain their title, when they travel to Dublin tomorrow to play Templeogue.

Preparation on and off the court key to a successful weekend for Brunell hosts

UCC DEMONS are next in line to attempt to break 11890 Killester’s stranglehold on the Nivea for Men Superleague, but they will have to do it without the services of Niall O’Reilly when they host the defending champions at The Mardyke Arena on Sunday.

UL EAGLES reversed their recent SuperLeague result to end the National Cup hopes of Bord Gais Neptune on Saturday, while 11890 Killester are just two games away from retaining the title after an emphatic victory over Moycullen in their quarter-final clash.

BORD GAIS Neptune Head Coach Pat Price believes his side’s rebounding will be vital in tomorrow night’s National Cup second-round clash with South Conference leaders UL Eagles in Limerick.

UCC DEMONS coach Paul Kelleher believes his side’s amazing comeback to win at Moycullen in the Nivea for Men Superleague will prove to be a turning point in their season.

BASKETBALL’s women’s superleague kicks off this weekend with a virtual clean slate for reigning champions, Team Montenotte Cork.

BORD GÁIS Neptune coach, Pat Price, is planning without their 6’7” power forward, Robinson Louisme, for their big NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague clash with UL Eagles at Neptune Stadium on Sunday (3pm).

BEYOND the confines of women’s or schools basketball, he may not have instant recognition, but there can’t be many coaches who have made a greater contribution to the sport over the last three decades than Jimmy Diggins of Tralee.

CORK rivals, UCC Demons and NEH Neptune, will play at each end of the country this weekend but they will be drawn together in a fierce battle for second place in the Southern Conference as the Nivea for Men SuperLeague goes into the final series before the play-offs.

UL EAGLES will be fancied to reinforce their position at the top of the Southern Conference when they travel to Belfast to play Ulster Elks this weekend while Neptune bid to keep the pressure on SuperLeague champions, UCC Demons, for the prime second spot.

NEPTUNE STADIUM, the arena that revolutionised Irish basketball and which is, to many, still the spiritual home of the game on this island, is 25 years old this weekend and it is fitting that the home team should host their long-time arch rivals, DCU Saints, in the Nivea for Men SuperLeague to tip off the celebrations this afternoon (4 pm).

TEAM effort was the key as UCC Demons saw off DCU Saints, 86-71, to get their defence of their SuperLeague National Cup off to the perfect start at The Mardyke Arena yesterday.

UCC Demons’ tipped off their SuperLeague National Cup campaign by edging out DCU Saints by a 15-point margin today.

FOR the first time in a long time UCC Demons found themselves on the receiving end last Sunday, when Hoops travelled down to Cork and dished out a surprise nine-point drubbing to collect their first Nivea for Men SuperLeague points of the season.

THE news that Luke D’Alessio had been appointed head coach of UCC Demons caused a stir throughout the basketball world.

MOYCULLEN shocked the home town favourites to capture the U20 Men’s National Cup title with a stunning display Saturday.

Moycullen 65 St Vincent's 100