Lakers proving the surprise Cup packet

SURPRISE away wins for Gleneagle Lakers and Limerick and the expected victory for Abrakebabra Tigers on Saturday night means that there are four teams from Irish Basketball’s Southern Conference through to the quarter finals of the National Cup, leaving the likes of MDS Star and UCD knocking on the back door for their places.

Lakers have to be the surprise packet after a tumultuous and nail-biting week for fans who waited for developments as Clyde Ellis said he was leaving to return to the USA for family reasons, then announced he would wait for the Belfast trip only to be replaced at the last minute by Charron Watson and then leave for a club in Luxembourg.

While nobody was admitting anything, Watson was the ideal replacement - left watching from the bench when he came back from injury as Neptune danced to a new beat hammered out by Ronnie Clarke and Davinno Hines.

His old side-kick at Neptune, Kenny Gamble was already in situ in Killarney so that Mark Scannell had very few adjustments to make. And so it proved as the combination clicked once again, Gamble hitting game high of 28 points and Watson contributing 23 of Lakers’ 88 points for a two point win over Star.

Lakers went into the half time break with a 17 point lead (56-39) and stretched this advantage in the third quarter when they appeared to have an unassailable 22 point lead.

Danny Fulton’s side rallied, however, and a storming third quarter saw them come back to lead with a minute left on the clock.

Lakers, who had not won a game in the Nivea for Men SuperLeague all season, showed a lot of character to reclaim control and earn their place in the quarter finals.

While all this was happening, Limerick Lions, who won the cup three seasons ago, were launching their campaign at Belfield against UCD. Limerick exploded in the second quarter to lead 16 points at half time - 55-39. UCD hit back with a run of three-pointers from Jarren Jones and another from Irish American Lorcan Precious to trail by just one going into the last quarter.

Limerick regained control of the game and were worth their 10 point win.

“It was a huge win considering the fact that they beat us by seven points up there last week,” coach Tom Hehir insisted.

Matthew Hall controlled the game for us, but we had a new star in young Stephen King. He hit 16 points and had eight rebounds and that was sensational from him.”

Abrakebabra Tigers scored a whopping 120-89 win over Merry Monk Ballina in their first round tie as they came away from a tight first quarter to lead 67-48 at half time.

Ballina cut the deficit to 12 in the third quarter but they really had no answer to the power of the Southern Conference leaders.

Dart Killester had a runaway 132-90 victory over Shamrock Rovers Hoops while Roma St. Vincent’s had to fight back from a 16 point turnaround as Waterford Crystal fought back from 14 point deficit to lead by one at half time to claim victory at Glasnevin.

Neptune, who lost out to Mardyke UCC Demons on Friday night, will now be joined by Waterford Crystal, Star, UCD, Merry Monk, Hoops and two teams from Division One in a second round battle for four places in Round 3 from which two winners will go through to the quarter finals to be decided on January 1, 2 and 3 with the semi-finals and final to be played on January 29/30.