Deadly Doles leaves Lions licking their wounds
Doles underscored that fact at the Mardyke Arena yesterday when he scored 30 points for UCC Demons as they beat Limerick Lions 100-84 to get the second half of the season off to a flying start.
The 6’7” Doles provided the bricks and mortar to build on a slender one point half-time lead with eight points in the third quarter that left Demons eight points clear turning into the home straight and when Tom Hehir’s side began to show signs of fatigue the legacy from a battling win over Gleneagle Lakers 48 hours earlier - Doles sensed it and punished them with a devastating display in the fourth quarter. He landed an early three pointer and had the game sewn up before Pat Price called him ashore to a standing ovation from the huge home following.
“His contribution was major,” Coach Price insisted afterwards. “He is one of those players who will work through his mistakes. If he misses three he is not fazed and he will get the fourth. That is the sign of a real professional.”
But this was not a one-man show by any means. Gary Johnson provided the heavy artillery in the second half with four three-pointers, Tim O’Halloran had what was probably his best game of the season as he helped keep Limerick’s danger men in check, while James Whyte hit 19 points.
Limerick, too, had a share of the limelight. Jonathan Steven included four three-pointers in his total of 22 while Robert Taylor and the evergreen Ricardo Leonard hit 18 apiece.
Whyte set the early pace by opening the scoring with two from the line and then landing a three-pointer and, as they proceeded to edge clear, Jon Steven kept Limerick in touch with some spectacular shooting. Limerick clawed their way back and led for the first time (13-14) with 4:20 on the clock before going on to lead 18-21 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter a three-pointer from Neil Campbell sent Lions soaring into a six point lead and it was Doles who came to Demons rescue with a valuable basket. Whyte added another and a point from the free throw line before Niall O’Reilly stepped up to give Demons the one point half time lead 40-30 - with two from the line with six seconds on the clock.
Doles and Whyte had six between them before Leonard pulled back three but Demons and Doles were taking control of affairs and led 62-50 at the end of the third quarter despite two three pointers from Jon Steven.
While Johnson stepped up for two more three-pointers, the final quarter was all about Doles as he added on another 10 points.
“This was our best defensive performance of the season,” Price, insisted. “But we were always going to need that against Limerick. I was a bit apprehensive going into the game because you always feel a team can get a bit rusty during a break. But those guys worked hard over the holidays and it showed out there today.”
UCC Demons: Michael Doles 30, James Whyte 19, Gary Johnson 16. : Jonathan Steven 26, Robert Taylor 18, Ricardo Leonard 18.
: Shamrock Rovers Hoops 77 (R. Statum 26, S. Kinevan 14, W. Clerkin 11) MDS Star 70 (S. Summersgill 17, P. O’Malley 16, D. Langrell 14); Limerick Lions 109 (J. Steven 37, R. Taylor 27, R. Leonard 15) Gleneagle Lakers 94 (J. Wingard 23, K. Coggins 18, E. O’Brien 17); UCD 88 (D. Morbley 26, K. Foley 24, B. Glover 18) Merry Monk Ballina 94 (P. Pope 31, E. Pellerin 20, P. Freeman 18).
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