UCC Demons secure first win of the new season in a hard fought win over Neptune

FIRST WIN: Demons Shariff Black dunks the ball during the Domino’s Men’s Super League game against Energywise Ireland Neptune. Picture: David Creedon

UCC Demons 115 Energywise Ireland Neptune 105 

UCC Demons secured the first bragging rights of the season in the Domino’s Men’s Super League with a hard-fought win over Energywise Ireland Neptune in a foul ridden game at the Mardyke Arena.

Right from tip off both sides played stringent defence with Neptune getting a good start with baskets from Nil Sabata and Cameron Glover.

In fairness the visitors looked a team on a mission and with Americans Zyon Dobbs and Glover dominating proceedings they raced into a 10- point lead 17-7 in the fourth minute.

Neptune continued to shoot the lights out and consecutive three pointers had Demons on the ropes.

Gradually Demons began showing greater intensity in defence and with American Shariff Black nailing consecutive baskets the deficit was reduced to four points in the seventh minute.

Credit to Neptune they continued to take the game to the reigning champions and when Sabata went back door and nailed a basket and bonus they regained a 10 point.

In the closing minutes Neptune held firm but a Fam buzzer beater three pointer reduced their lead to 31-24 entering the second quarter.

On the restart James Hannigan and Sabata exchanged baskets but suddenly the pace of the game slowed down a little.

Black was now playing smarter as Neptune’s scoring dried up and a Fam lay up in midway through the quarter saw Demons lead for the first time 36-35 before the Neptune coach Keith Daly called a time out.

The fouls that were being called on both sides bordered on the ridiculous as it took away from the occasion and made it tedious for the capacity attendance.

There is little doubt the scoring from both sides dried up and with 3.49 remaining to the interval Neptune led by the minimum.

Sabata picked up a shoulder injury with 1.36 remaining and that was cruel blow to his team as he was playing solid basketball at both ends of the court.

In the final Demons possession Daryl Cuff nailed a monstrous three pointer that gave his team a fortunate 52-49 interval lead.

On the restart Cuff drained two free throws and despite Eoin Nelson knocking down a huge shot outside the arc it was Demons that led 58-52 in the 23rd minute before a Neptune time out was called out.

The home side then went on a scoring spree that saw race into an 11 point lead as the character of Neptune was now being tested by their Cork rivals.

Hinton picked up his fourth foul but after having verbal’s with the match referee he was punished with a technical foul demons third of the evening.

The closing minutes were scrappy but Cuff did manage to nail a second three pointer that helped the home team command a 80-66 lead entering the final quarter.

Coming down the stretch the game fizzled out as Demons just did enough to secure the points.

Scorers for UCC Demons: S Black 25, D Cuff 15, T Fam 18, S Hannigan 17, J Hannigan 14.

Scorers for Energywise Ireland Neptune: C Glover 33, Z Dobbs 25, C Heaphy 13, E Nelson 11.

UCC DEMONS: S Hannigan, B Horgan, J Beckom, L Sutton, K Hosford, J Hannigan, D Lehane, T Fam Thiam, D Cuff, C Looney, L Kivuvu, Z Hinton, S Black.

ENERGYWISE IRELAND NEPTUNE: K O’Donoghue, Z Dobbs, C Heaphy, N Power, E Linehan, J Scannell, S Noonan, C Glover, D O’Rourke, A Heaphy, A Heaphy, E Nelson, N Sabata, P Osagie.

Referees: Jamie Dooley (Portlaoise), Leanne Aherne (Limerick), Emer Buckley (Kerry).