Three Basketball matches to watch

1. The Premier Men’s National Cup decider between Templeogue and Swords Thunder should be a cracking encounter with both teams playing in their first final at this level.

Templeogue are slight favourites but with two major injury doubts they are bound to be worried going into this tie.

Swords will rely heavily on point guard Isaac Wesbrooks who shot 8/8 against C&S UCC Demons in the semi-final with Alex Delenko and Dan Nelms also capable of posing Templeogue problems.

Templeogue should have Michael Bonaparte in their line-up and with Jason Killeen and Lorcan Murphy sure to win the battle of the boards, we could be in for a classic final.

2.

Pyrobel Killester will be hoping to gain revenge on Team Montenotte when the sides clash in the Premier Women’s final.

In last year’s decider, Killester were trounced by 25 points but this season they have already defeated the champions at the same venue.

American Rae Contreras has proved a wonderful signing for Killester and her match-up against Glanmire counterpart Chantell Alford is sure to be a wonderful spectacle.

Montenotte will be without the injured Niamh Dwyer but sister Grainne is a warrior who will be fired up to complete a hat-trick of titles.

3.

Neptune have never won the U18 Men’s National Cup and their clash this afternoon with Galway outfit Moycullen is certainly going to have basketball headquarters rocking.

The Cork club withdrew from the Men’s Premier League this season and is banking on this squad to lay the foundations for their return to the top level of Irish basketball.

In Sean Jenkins and Adam Drummond, they have prolific scorers but this final will be closer than pundits are predicting.

Moycullen, under coach John Cunningham, have an explosive point guard in captain Eoghan Kelly and are sure to test the credentials of this Neptune outfit.