NEPTUNE preserved their 100 per cent record this season by plundering a priceless away victory by 98 to 93 against St Vincent's in Glasnevin yesterday. Tom Wilkinson's men remain leaders of the Budweiser Superleague and put four points between themselves and the third placed Dubliners.
A home victory for St Vincent's would have resulted in a three way tie at the top so yesterday's success will feel like double points for the Corkmen who rarely looked in danger.
A well contested first half left the teams tied at 48-48. Neptune stepped it up from the restart, utilising strong defence to curtail the free scoring Carter Long who had 19 points to his credit by half time.
Neptune's close season recruit from North Mon, Ger Galgey, imposed his presence to great effect on Long in the second period and the American only scored seven more points. With St Vincent's second foreign player, Kevin Vulin, restricted to 23 points on his debut Neptune went 13 points ahead in the second half as Mario Mullin found gaping holes close to the board to tally a weekend high of 45 points.
Sandwiched between Neptune and St Vincent's in the table are Star of the Sea who easily defeated a depleted Marian 113-70.
Outside the top three, there is now a four way tie for joint fourth after the Roy Curtis tournament winners, Denny Notre Dame, won for the third time in succession in the league with a 97-88 home win over reigning champions Tralee. Both sides, along with Killester and Killarney, are in that mid table logjam.
Killester were surprisingly beaten 97-84 at home by Sligo in a game that appeared to swing on an intentional foul incident in the second half. The scores which followed sapped Killester's resolve.
In Division One, MSB remained unbeaten with a 91-74 win over Marathon in Limerick, while Liam McHale scored 30 points on his return to the Ballina team in their 106-78 win over St Gall's.
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