Basketball Weekend previewNo stability here folks but plenty of North Americans, Australians and even a pair of Serbian coaches to make up the foreign brigade as a new cast gets the Superleague underway this weekend.
It starts tonight with a city of culture affair between Neptune and defending champions UCC Demons. The Demons are expected to continue last season's form as Neptune's pre-season was disrupted by the departure of new Italian coach Cristiano Sias before a ball was ever dunked in anger. Noel Allen steps into the breech.
There are plenty of new imports after yet another summer of mass exodus, but it is at Killester that an intriguing door has been opened in the recruitment stakes. Serbian coach Saisa Punosevac has brought two of his fellow countrymen to north Dublin in guard Vladamir Radmanovac and 6ft 8in forward Branislav Tomic, while an even taller Irish recruit, Conor Tolan, has returned from university in America.
They travel west tomorrow to face a Ballina outfit that can boast a fully committed Ronan McGarrity - free from the restraints of club football that weighed him down last season.
Shamrock Rovers Hoops have also recruited a Serbian coach although Greg Petrovic has been living in Ireland for seven years. He has been involved with underage teams at the club so the change over from Ken Black should be fairly painless. They will be keen to get off to a better start than last season against Star of the Sea at the National Arena.
The Killarney Lakers new coach, Cormac O'Donoghue, is a former player so he will also be expected to fit comfortably in as he prepares to face Limerick.
The demise of Waterford means one club will be idle every weekend. It starts with cup holders the Tralee Tigers who have lost the physical presence of Michael Quirke this season as he opted to focus on Gaelic football.
Back in Dublin, keep an eye out for UCD Marian's Lorcan Precious who is the only Superleague player to represent Ireland in the recent European qualifiers. The young point guard leads his side against St Vincent's at the campus sports complex tomorrow at 7.15pm.
Men's Superleague: tonight: Neptune v UCC Demons, Neptune Stadium, 8.0. Tomorrow: Shamrock Rovers Hoops v Star of the Sea, national basketball arena, 7.30; UCD v St Vincent's, UCD sports complex, 7.15; Ballina v Killester, Ballina SC, 8.0; Killarney Lakers v Limerick Lions, Presentation College, 7.30.
Women's Superleague: tomorrow: Meteors v Glanmire, St Olaf's, 6.45; Wildcats v Killester, Mercy gym, 7.30; UL Aughinish v Drimnagh Dynamos, UL Arena, 7.0.
