IN NORMAL circumstances it would be just an opportunity to recover from a National Cup semi-final, but UCC Demons and National Event Hire Neptune will sweep into Neptune Stadium on a wave of adrenalin for another derby game tomorrow night.

WHEN coach Luke D’Alessio took his players to the Parochial Hall for practice yesterday he found the doors closed – there was no water and the place was frozen.

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).

FOLLOWING back-to-back losses to Killester in the cup and SuperLeague Coach Tony Hehir wants UL Eagles to refocus on the target which is now the NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague.

TOMORROW is Super Saturday for Irish basketball’s SuperLeague clubs, with the quarter-finals of the men’s National Cup throwing up interesting pairings.

NEPTUNE face an interesting scenario when they travel to Greendale tomorrow night to play HOOPS in the NIVEA for MEN Superleague.

WITH their defence of the national cup on course, UCC Demons will concentrate on getting their Nivea for Men’s SuperLeague campaign back on track when they travel to Dublin tomorrow evening to play Killester.

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.

AFTER their thrilling derby game on Friday night at The Mardyke Arena, UCC Demons and National Event Hire Neptune go their separate ways this weekend with the NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague champions heading to Jordanstown and Neptune make their first trip to Moycullen.

CORK derby games in particular are special but last night’s NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague thriller between UCC Demons and National Event Hire Neptune went beyond all the boundaries for excitement, drama and then a nailbiting finish.

MICHAEL McGINN went over on his ankle in practice on Wednesday night, leaving new coach Pat Price facing the possibility of sending out National Event Hire/Neptune, without their captain for tonight’s crucial derby game against UCC Demons at The Mardyke Arena (8 pm).

DEFENDING champions, UCC Demons, had to come from behind to defeat UCD/Marian and keep their early season record intact as the NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague as UL Eagles beat the other Cork team, Neptune for a third successive win.

NEW coach Pat Price will be hoping for an improved performance before the home fans when Neptune take on UL Eagles tomorrow night (8pm).

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