Head coach Pete Strickland has made two changes to the Ireland senior men’s team ahead of their 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries campaign, which tips off in San Marino next week.

Black Amber Templeogue were crowned Hula Hoops National Cup champions with a 68-62 point win over UCD Marian at the National Basketball Arena this evening.

Liffey Celtics are the outright leaders of the Women’s Super League following a thrilling 66-60 win over UCC Glanmire at the Mardyke Arena.

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors suffered their biggest defeat since returning to the Men’s Super League when they lost 92-63 to UCD Marian at the Tralee Sports complex.

The Premier Men’s National Cup decider between Templeogue and Swords.

At half-time in tonight’s National Cup final, Irish basketball will warm itself in the glow of a glorious past, when an iconic Ballina side is introduced to the crowd 25 years on from the classic final victory over Neptune in Cork.

John Coughlan previews the weekend’s basketball action.

Templeogue coach Mark Keenan is sweating on the fitness of two key players ahead of tomorrow’s Premier Men’s National Cup final against Swords Thunder (8pm, live on TG4).

Swords Thunder produced magnificent basketball to defeat Templeogue 80-69 in a rehearsal of the Men’s National Cup final at the National Arena on January 30.

UL Eagles maintained their perfect start to the Men’s Premier League season when defeating Swords Thunder 77-71 at the Alsaa on Saturday.

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.

Blue Demons secretary Troy O’Mahony has denied that the club poached Roy Downey from Neptune, after a Neptune statement implied the departure of Downey was a key reason for the storied Cork side’s departure from the top tier of Irish basketball.

Colin O’Reilly, the player-coach to C&S UCC Demons, is calling on his players to remain focused on completing the grand slam as they prepare to play UL Eagles in the Men’s Premier league at the UL Arena tomorrow.

Premier basketball: Team Montenotte produced a top-class second-half display to demolish Liffey Celtics 91-63 in the Women’s Premier League top-of-the-table clash at Leixlip.

C & S UCC Demons 99 Neptune 65

The season’s busiest weekend thus far, with quarter-final second-leg games in both Men’s and Women’s Premier National Cups taking place.

Team Montenotte’s unbeaten record in the Women’s Premier League is sure to be tested when they play joint leaders Courtyard Liffey Celtics at Upper Glanmire Sports Centre tomorrow.

UCD Marian produced a major upset in the Premier Men’s National Cup when defeating Neptune 95-77 in their first leg quarter-final clash at Belfield.

Reigning champions Killester were made to fight all the way before overcoming a resilient UCD Marian outfit 73-71 in a pulsating Men’s Premier League clash.

The oldest rivalry in Irish basketball will take to the court at the Neptune Stadium tomorrow when BGFNeptune face fellow Cork rivals C&S UCC Demons.

C&S UCC Demons will be hoping to complete a men’s Premier League and cup double when they clash with Killester at the Mardyke on Sunday (3.30pm).

UCC Demons warmed up for Friday’s National Cup final against Dublin Inter with an impressive 80-73 win over UL Eagles in the men’s Premier League.

NATIONAL CUP SEMI-FINAL:

UCC Demons produced a stunning fourth quarter performance to defeat Killester 77-72 in a pulsating top of the table men’s Premier League clash at Clontarf on Saturday.

They are both on a seven-game unbeaten run in the Men’s Premier League and tomorrow Killester and UCC Demons will do battle to take pole position heading into the Christmas break.

Killester had to overcome a terrific DCU Saints effort as seven consecutive late points from American Michael Bonaparte ensured a hard-earned 84-81 win.

Killester remain unbeaten in the Men’s Premier League following a comfortable 88-76 win over Bord Gáis Neptune on Saturday.

Bord Gáis Neptune had to come from behind to deny Belfast Star 75-72 in a pulsating Men’s Premier League game yesterday.

It’s a 46-year intense rivalry that has made UCC Demons and Bord Gais Neptune one of the most spectacular games on the Irish basketball calendar.

Bord Gais Neptune ensured second place in the Southern Conference ahead of UL Eagles in the final game of the season.

UCC Demons may have secured the southern conference title but they won’t be resting on their laurels when they entertain Bord Gáis Neptune in the Nivea for Men SuperLeague and what will be the final derby of theseason at the Mardyke Arena tonight (7.30pm).

KILLESTER retained their Nivea for Men Superleague title following a classic final win over Bord Gáis Neptune at the National Basketball Arena yesterday.

DEFENDING champions, 11890 Killester, will be red hot favourites going into Sunday’s NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague final at the National Basketball Arena but coach, Mark Keenan, has been around long enough to realise there are no foregone conclusions in this type of situation and Bord Gáis Neptune, he reckons, are not ones to be taken lightly.

AFTER a period in the doldrums, Bord Gais Neptune find themselves back in familiar territory following their 90-88 semi-final victory over UL Eagles that qualifies them for a showdown with champions, 11890 Killester, in next weekend’s NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague final at headquarters.