League in the balance as top two win

NEWLY crowned Cup champions UCC Demons and beaten finalists Limerick Lions remain locked at the top of the Southern Conference table in the run-up to next weekend’s head to head following important victories in the NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague yesterday.

Demons were able to parade the National Cup and while the fans at The Mardyke Arena yesterday afternoon were ecstatic, Pat Price had his players focused for what he regarded as an important SuperLeague tie against Joey Boylan’s Roma St. Vincent’s.

The first half was close enough (40-36) but it was just a matter of time before the visitors would succumb to Demons’ fast running game and the second half saw their hopes of an upset come tumbling down. The firepower of Colin O’Reilly was again underscored as he hit 24 points while Michael Doles had 24 more and Gary Johnson added 21 to leave Vincent’s, who had trailed by just four at half time, reeling at the end of a 111-75 scoreline.

A week after losing to UCC Demons in the National Cup Final Limerick Lions returned to the

National Basketball Arena to show they were not suffering any fallout from that disappointment and used the visit to highlight their challenge for the SuperLeague title with a 110-73 win over Shamrock Rovers Hoops.

It must be said that Hoops were coming off a big game against Neptune on Saturday night which they won 99-76 but Limerick Coach Tom Hehir had to find a late replacement after it was discovered that Jon Steven had broken his leg in the cup final.

He expressed concern about the impact a change at this point in the season might have on the overall performance of a settled team but he found the perfect replacement in Quincy Moman who made a sensational debut with 37 points.

Hoops could not cope with the combined skills and speed of Moman and Rob Taylor, who made MVP in the cup final and retained that momentum and Tom Hehir availed of the opportunity to use all of his bench as they pulled away in the third quarter.

Hoops kept their play-off hopes alive with a 99-76 win over Neptune at the Arena on Saturday night. Coach Michael Evans had been hoping Neptune would win this after a near miss against Limerick two weeks earlier and things looked good for a time as Ger Noonan, Marcus Wally and Gordon Fitzgerald gave them the edge.

Reuben Statum and young Scot Kinevane inspired the fightback that had Hoops just a point behind at the end of the first quarter and when big Will McClurkin hit 14 and Statum 11 they took control in the second quarter to lead 52-42 at half time.

Gleneagle Lakers and Abrakebabra Tigers should ensure Kerry is represented in the playoffs. Eleven three-pointers helped Lakers upset Northern Conference leaders Merry Monk Ballina 113-103, but the visitors were always going to have difficulty against the Killarney side who came from 37 points down to beat Demons at The Mardyke Arena two weeks earlier.

Again it was the bustling Daninius Varanauskas with 26 points and Eoin O’Brien with 14 assists who provided the foundation stone for this victory.

Tigers are going to have a say in the title’s destination and proved it again on Saturday night with a 109-106 win over MDS Star at the Sports Centre. Despite 38 points from Nate Connolly, Star returned to Belfast dreaming of what might have been after Tigers overturned a nine-point deficit in the final quarter to claim victory.

Connolly’s contribution was amazing but it was Tigers player-coach Luke O’Hea who stole the show and his 35 points only underscored his influence.

Tigers led 51-50 at the end of a close first half and led 82-79 at the end of a free-scoring third quarter before Nate Connolly finally put Star clear but then three-pointers from Roscoe Patterson and Micheal Quirke hauled Tigers back into contention.