Lakers rally to sink Demons’ challenge

GLENEAGLE LAKERS recorded a sensational second successive victory over the table toppers and defending champions, UCC Demons (105-90) in another thrilling NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague clash in Killarney on Saturday.

That game sets up what promises to be an enthralling derby clash with Abrakebabra Tigers in their bid for a place in the play-offs next Wednesday night.

Tigers reinforced their claim to a place in the play-offs with a hard-earned victory over Neptune on Friday night. Lakers went into their game with Demons under pressure to duplicate their pre-cup final weekend performance, when they came from 37 points down to snatch a shock win.

After that Demons went on to win the Cup and are now poised for the double, having secured their place in the semi-finals of the SuperLeague after topping the Southern Conference.

While they were without Michael Doles on Saturday, they would have been expected to exact revenge for recent their drubbing and were on course to do just that until Lakers again turned on the style in the final quarter.

Lakers had led 20-13 midway through the first quarter thanks to the accuracy of Justin Wingard, who hit 15, and they retained their seven-point advantage, 31-24, at the end of this period.

Two minutes into the second quarter they were still seven points clear, 35-28, but then they collapsed and failed to score for almost four minutes as Colin O’Reilly drove Demons into the lead. They scored 14 points without reply to lead 42-35 five minutes from half-time.

Lakers rallied at this point through Tim Sullivan and had three pointers from Wingard and Shane Horgan to go into the half-time break leading 49-48.

Demons appeared satisfied they had weathered the storm. James Whyte, who hit 12 points in the second quarter, sat out much of the third in foul trouble, and the sides were tied at 74 points apiece going into the final quarter.

That’s when the fireworks started.

Early three-pointers from Sullivan and Kevin Coggins shot the home side into a six-point lead. The dynamic Sullivan added two more three and Demons were struggling. Two more three-pointers from Sullivan left Lakers leading 88-79 with five minutes remaining and they never looked back, with Eoin O’Brien and Justin Wingard now in control.

With one round of games still to play, Team Merry Monk Ballina clinched the Northern Conference with a 123-106 victory over MDS Star at the Sports & Leisure Centre on Saturday night.

Dan Zapior set the scene with 15 points in the first quarter to help the home side to a 36-14 lead. They led 59-48 at half-time and three pointers from Ronan McGarrity and Zapior had them leading 94-78 at the end of the third quarter and gave them a cushion to withstand the Star rally in the fourth.

UL Aughinish and Bausch & Lomb Wildcats kept their impeccable home records intact when they beat DART Killester and Mustang Sally’s St Paul’s, respectively, to qualify for the semi-finals of the Women’s SuperLeague.

UL underscored their Cup final result by beating DART Killester 89-61 to keep their double hopes right on track. Like Demons in the Men’s SuperLeague, they go into the finals weekend as Cup champions and defending SuperLeague champions thanks to Courtney McDaniel, who hit 24 points on Saturday night, and Michelle Aspell, who had 19 to lay the foundations for victory.

A three-pointer at the end of the third quarter from Olivia O’Reilly followed by two neat baskets at the start of the final quarter was the spur Wildcats needed to draw away from St. Paul’s in a closely contested quarter-final at the Mercy Gym.