Demons cast out Neptune in warning to title pretenders

Neptune 66 Mardyke UCC Demons 114

Demons will celebrate their biggest ever victory over Neptune, while the home side will look back on it as a disaster at the end of what has been a troubled week for the club.

Last year, Pat Price persevered to build a SuperLeague-winning side. Now the American has built on this with the introduction of solid players. Last night his American players outshone their Neptune counterparts and while Michael Doles led them with 27 points, Price will be thrilled with the display of Colin O'Reilly, one of two brothers in the squad, who hit 15 points in the second half.

Apart from Doles, James White included three three-pointers in his 17 points.

But Price has found not just a lookalike for departed Patrick Pope, he's found an equally effective point guard in Gary Johnson, who was up to accept the rebounding duties when they were having problems early on but then highlighted his presence on the scoreboard with 20 points before the coach began to play the bench.

Following the surprise departure of their Italian coach, Noel Allen stepped in for last night's game.

Hopes of persuading him to stay on diminished as Neptune faded in the face of a whirlwind challenge.

They were chasing the game from the outset with Stephen McCarthy, who shot a big three-pointer, and Corey Evans battling to keep them in touch with a saving basket and three points from the free throw line.

Adam Piszczuk stepped up to assist and they were on level terms at 15 points apiece midway through the first quarter.

But Neptune struggled at the end of a drubbing from Michael Doles who ended up with a 15-point contribution that had Demons leading 26-21 at the end of the quarter.

By the end of the first half Price would have eight of his bench on the scoresheet, with James Whyte and Niall O'Reilly landing three-pointers and Johnson taking his talents to the boards for six points two from the line.

Corey Evans kept Neptune in touch, adding another 10 points but it was all too much for Neptune. They were 15 points behind with two minutes left in the half and went in at the break trailing 37-54.

Demons were never going to relax, with Johnson now floating on air.

James Whyte hit them with a three-pointer, Johnson was on target with another and when Tim O'Halloran came in to fire a third, it was just a matter of how big the win would be.

With 3:42 left in the third quarter, they led by 23 points 50-73 and even damage limitation was a problem for Neptune, who hung on helplessly.

Top scorers for Mardyke UCC Demons: M. Doles 27pts, G. Johnson 20pts, C. O'Reilly 18pts.

Neptune: C. Evans 21pts, A. Piszczuk 18pts, S. McCarthy 9pts.