AN overpowering will, to atone for their recent cup disaster, spurred Cork side? Neptune to an 82-80 victory in Belfast yesterday against their only true rivals for the men's Budweiser Superleague title, Star of the Sea.
The result broke the tie with both teams at the top of the table and if Neptune win their last four games of the league season then they will be crowned champions.
The closeness of this fixture could be measured by the fact that in the very last second, and with the last play of the game, Star could have won. A mid court three point attempt from their American John Leahy seemed good in the air, but was minutely inaccurate and spun away clear of the rim as the final buzzer sounded.
From the start it was clear that there would be little separating the sides. Neptune enjoyed an early lead but that was quickly nullified by a pair of three pointers from Adrian Fulton and Gareth McGuire and at the end of the first quarter the teams were level at 18 all.
Star then went narrowly in front 38-35 through a McGuire lay up and a Javan Dupree basket saw them take a 42-40 interval lead.
However, in the first seven minutes of the second period, it was Neptune who threatened to pull away. A hat trick of three pointers, two from Terry Strickland and one from Steve McCarthy, helped them into a 58-51 advantage but Leahy and Gabe Jackson responded for Star to level it at 69 apiece with over five minutes to go.
From there on it went virtually score for score until the sides were even again at 76-76 with over two minutes remaining. Finally Neptune broke the deadlock to hit three successive baskets from McCarthy, Mario Mullen and Ger Heaphy which took them six points ahead.
It was then down to Star to play catch up and slowly they crawled back to within a single score. When Leahy made it 80-82 with 38 seconds left, the prospect of overtime seemed highly possible but Neptune withstood the pressure and, helped by a little luck, watched that last second three pointer spin away to safety.
The game was notable for the return to form of Strickland who had been quiet to the point of near anonymity for long periods in the cup semi final loss to Delta just over a fortnight earlier. Hem rediscovered his touch in offence to hit a game high of 26 points and that more than compensated for the loss of high scoring Irishman Gordon Fitzgerald who had a hernia operation last Wednesday.
Mullen was a constant threat to Star scoring 23 with McCarthy turning in a fine play making performance as well as scoring 14 points. Leahy was Star's top marksman on 23, but a quiet first half saw Jackson restricted to just 15.
Elsewhere in the Superleague, St Vincent's stay third after a 109-86 home win over Queens, while nortbside neighbours Killester saw their hopes of a Top Tour place recede as they lost 84-76 to Tralee in Clontarf. Killester, who started the game without Randall Mounts, lost American Prentis Phillips with a broken finger with eight minutes to go. Tralee now share fourth place with Delta who defeated Marian 107-94.
In Division One there was a shock defeat in Belfast for promotion seeking Ballina who lost 92-84 to struggling St Gall's while Tridents surprised Castleisland 104-96.
Dungannon helped themselves into the outright lead with a 114-74 win over Tolka.
In Gateaux women's division one, Meteors went top of the table, at least temporarily, with victories over both Naomh Mhuire and MSB but Wildcats, who were easy winners over Tralee by 118-52, can win the title if they remain unbeaten in their last five games.
