Clash of the table-toppers as Killester visit Tigers’ lair

IT’S the game basketball has been talking about for weeks - the clash of the two best sides in the country as unbeaten DART Killester make the trip to Tralee to meet the Abrakebabra Tigers in the Nivea for Men SuperLeague tomorrow night.

With nine wins out of nine and a scoring average of 119 ppg, Killester are the favourites but the Tigers have not been beaten at home in the league for two seasons, have lost just one game on the road and have scoring potential on their bench.

Killester will be also without their influential Bosman player, Colin Tabb, who has gone to Boston for a trial with ABA side Boston Frenzy.

“His departure will be to our benefit,” Tigers’ Timmy Sheehan said.

“If we were to lose Roy Smallwood we would be in trouble. But Killester have a lot of very good players and we are looking forward to the visit. We had a 13-point win over Gleneagle Lakers on Wednesday night and it is nice to come off a victory like that.”

Player/coach Chris Craig was outstanding and Bosman Luke O’Hea, Micheal Quirke and Kieran Donaghy all impressed. But John Teahan is unlikely to play tomorrow due to injury.

Killester have been shooting the lights out this season. Everyone has come off the bench to score and they have not scored under 100 points in any of their games.

“Tralee will be a real challenge,” Declan King admitted.

“Colin Tabb will be missed. But I think this is the most talented squad I have ever seen. I have been involved with Killester for over 20 years and I have never seen anything like it.

“Our Americans only play 22-23 minutes per game and all 10 players on the sheet will score. There is tremendous depth in the squad.”

That depth will be tested in Kerry, where Neptune have been the only team to win in the past two seasons when they shocked the eventual SuperLeague champions in the first round of the cup.

Jim Nugent’s side are at home to Shamrock Rovers Hoops this weekend and will have to plan without Michael McGinn and Gordon Fitzgerald.

Mardyke UCC Demons, after their cup win over Neptune, travel to Belfast to play MDS Star, who are reeling from back to back Superleague and Cup losses, to Neptune and Gleneagle Lakers respectively.

Pat Price will again be without David Murphy, who is likely to be out for a few weeks through illness.

University of Limerick have not lost a women’s SuperLeague game since December 2002 and they will be hot favourites against Bausch & Lomb Wildcats tomorrow in Waterford.

In other games, Vienna Woods Glanmire host Mercy Coolock and Mustang Sallys host Drimnagh.

The All-Ireland club championships, Ireland’s biggest basketball competition, tips off this weekend with 24 men’s teams and 21 women’s teams taking part in the regional qualifiers.

Wednesday’s late result - Gleneagle Lakers 105 (C. Watson 37, G. Noonan 29, C. O’Reilly 15) Abrakebabra Tigers 118 (R. Smallwood 36, C. Craig 30, M. Quirke 21).

WEEKEND FIXTURES:

Tomorrow: Nivea for Men SuperLeague: Abrakebabra Tigers v DART Killester, Tralee SC, 8pm.; Waterford Crystal v Limerick, Waterford IT, 7.30pm; Neptune v Shamrock R. Hoops, Neptune Stadium, 7.30pm; MDS Star v Mardyke UCC Demons, UUJ, 7.15pm; UCD v Merry Monk Ballina, Belfield SC, 7.30 pm.

Women’s SuperLeague: Vienna Woods Glanmire v Mercy Coolock, Little Island, 7.30pm; Peugeot Meteors v DART Killester, Naomh Olafs, 6.45pm; Bausch & Lomb Wildcats v UL Aughinish, Waterford, 7.30pm; Mustang Sally’s St Pauls v XLR8 Autos Drimnagh, Presentation, Killarney, 7.30pm.

Sunday: Nivea for Men SuperLeague: Roma St. Vincent’s v MDS Star, Glasnevin, 3.15pm.