A packed Saturday schedule of Nivea for Men’s SuperLeague action will aim to answer some of the unresolved questions in Irish basketball’s top division.
Following on from another weekend of surprise results, fans may be left scratching their heads trying to pick results in what has been an exciting season so far.
Undefeated UCC Demons, who survived yet another late scare against Killester last weekend, take on Dublin Inter, a team that opened their 2012/13 campaign with a hugely impressive win over DCU Saints before dropping three games in a row.
Inter then almost caused a second massive shock last weekend as they led at half-time in Limerick against defending champions UL Eagles.
The Dublin outfit subsequently went on to be blown out in the closing stages, losing by 18 points.
It is hard to know which Inter team shows up this weekend when they play Demons in the National Basketball Arena but judging by Demons’ recent results it will probably be a very close game. The table toppers seem to know no other way.
Moycullen of Galway were the ones to truly turn heads last weekend when they toppled a fancied UCD Marian team in Dublin.
The westerners had been winless to that point, with only a few hard luck stories to comfort their faithful following.
This Saturday, DCU Saints must travel west to face them, a journey they will not fancy as they were extremely lucky to escape with a win from the same fixture 12 months ago, winning in extra time.
Meanwhile, Marian aim to bounce back with a win against the resurgent Bord Gáis Neptune who after dropping their first three games of the season have won three straight.
The final Saturday SuperLeague game pits Killester, so unlucky to lose to Demons last weekend, against UL Eagles in the always electric atmosphere of the IWA centre in Clontarf.
While the Nivea Women’s SuperLeague takes a break for a week, the Women’s Superleague Cup gets underway as Killester and Ulster Rockets aim to get their struggling seasons back on track with sustained runs in the cup.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Tonight – Senior Women’s National Cup: NUIG Mystics v Rathdown Ravens, Claregalway LC, 7.30. Saturday – Men’s SuperLeague: Moycullen v DCU Saints, NUI Galway 3.45; Dublin Inter v UCC Demons, National Basketball Arena, 6pm; Killester v UL Eagles, IWA Clontarf, 6pm; Bord Gáis Neptune v UCD Marian, Upper Glanmire Sports Centre, 7.30. Senior Men’s National Cup: Donegal Town v Killester, Abbey VS, 5pm; St Vincent’s v LYIT Ravens, St Vincent’s 12.45; Eanna v Maree, Coláiste, 6.15; Matt O’Flaherty’s Chemists Titans v Ulster Elks, Renmore CC, 7pm. Senior Women’s National Cup: Portlaoise Panthers v Killester, St Mary’s Hall, 2pm. Sunday – Women’s SuperLeague: Killester v Ulster Rockets, IWA, 8pm. Senior Men’s National Cup: Blue Demons v Team Left Bank Kilkenny, Mardyke Arena, 3.15; Tolka Rovers v UCD Marian, Tolka Rovers Complex, 3pm; St Brendan’s v Templeogue, Mercy Mounthawk, 3.30. Senior Women’s National Cup: Ballincollig v Firhouse Notre Dame, Parochial Hall, 2.15; Team Tom McCarthy’s St Mary’s v Meteors, Castleisland CC, 3pm.
