Neptune newcomers bid to banish demons
New coach Ozell Wells arrived yesterday as did one of the players they hope will brighten up the new season, Rob Brown, but the flight from New York arrived at Shannon without Smith, who had missed his connection.
“We eventually located him and he is on his way,” said Neptune chairman, Tim O’Brien. “His flight is due in morning but if it gets delayed we could be in a spot of trouble. We still have the paperwork to do.”
Neptune arranged a special training session last night to provide the two new arrivals with an opportunity to get acquainted with the remainder of the squad.
Wells, 29, is a Bachelor of Sport from the University of Michigan where he also served a stint as Assistant Head Coach before moving to Grand Rapids where he was Head Coach to the Hoops ladies pro team.
Rob Brown is a 27 year-old, 6’5” forward, who served his apprenticeship with University of Buffalo. He played in Finland in 2003 where he averaged 30 ppg, moved to Mexico where averaged 27 ppg and when he played in Australia earlier this year he was averaging 35 ppg.
Jamal Ward is due to leave Neptune this morning after scoring just one basket in last week’s derby. Corey Evans, who scored 21 pts before being fouled out in that game, remains in the squad.
Tomorrow night they face Killester, who lost to Merry Monk Ballina by 17 points in their opening game, at the newly refurbished gym at Greendale Community School where Coach Saisa Punosevac will have to plan without the injured Damien Sealy and Jerome Westbrooks.
Neptune will be spitting fire after last weekend’s humiliating defeat and the Demons Coach Pat Price expects someone will pay for it.
“We may have awakened a sleeping giant,” he said. “I know it was disappointing for them but I think maybe they will look back on the game as a bit of a watershed.”
UCC Demons face a new challenge on Sunday afternoon when they host UCD at The Mardyke Arena and Price insists they won’t be taking anything for granted.
“We will go on and do what we have always done - take each game as it comes,” he said.
“We have had a good first game performance and we will build on that. UCD have strength in all five positions but I think we certainly have advantage in terms of depth.”
Merry Monk Ballina also got their campaign off to an impressive start with that 103-86 win over Killester and now face a big weekend with a cross-conference game against Limerick Lions tomorrow night and a second game against MDS Star on Sunday afternoon - both at home.
Abrakebabra Tigers will be without Michéal Quirke and player-coach Chris Craig as they launch their season against Shamrock Rovers Hoops this weekend. Assistant Coach Joe Quirke will be in charge.
The Women’s Superleague game of the weekend will be the meeting of DART Killester and UL Aughhinish at Greendale tomorrow evening. Killester lost out to Wildcats last weekend in a one-point thriller but will be strengthened with the return of Gillian Morris and Elaine O’Neill while new recruit Orla Dempsey will be lining out against her former club who have an exciting new American in Ashley Biggins.
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