Basketball’s Friday sensation

BASKETBALL IRELAND has sensationally decided to break with a 25-year-old tradition and belatedly move this year’s Superleague National Cup finals to the first Friday in February to facilitate live television coverage, much to the disapproval of the participating finalists.

The finals had been originallyscheduled to take place on the last Sunday of January as has been the sport’s traditional slot.

But in the wake of RTE’s decision not to broadcast this year’s finals, Basketball Ireland general secretary Bernard O’Byrne has negotiated a deal with Setanta Sports that will see the Superleague’s women’s final between UL and DCU starting at 7.15pm on Friday February 3 followed by the men’s final between UCC Demons and UL Eagles tipping off at the particularly late time of 9.15pm.