BASKETBALL/National Cup semi-finals: The question of how to discover the correct formula for a successful Irish basketball club is actually quite simple: combinations. The most important partnership is that between the home grown talent and imported one-season wonders. The UCC Demons always seem to get this blend just right.
They swept past Ballina yesterday to set up an all-southern conference cup final against the Limerick Lions on January 29th, (live on RTÉ), at the national arena in Tallaght. The Cork club are seeking a third title in four years.
Victory never really appeared to be in doubt with Americans Michael Doles and Gary Johnson racking up 58 points between them.
Doles, in fact, finished top scorer from the two semi-finals on 39 points. Crucially, Cork native Shane Coughlan also had a decent game.
They turned a 10-point first quarter lead into 19 point margin by the end of the third. Despite a Ballina recovery, Paul Freeman fouling out damaged their cause irrevocably.
Former Demon Patrick Pope and Freeman did score heavily while Ronan McGarrity and Evan Pellerin combined for 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter but Demons were already coasting.
They are now roaring favourites to complete the league and cup double for 2006 although the ever improving Lions stand in the way.
Ricardo Leonard was outstanding in the other semi-final as Limerick edged past Killester. Robert Taylor and Jonathan Steven outscored the aforementioned but he was credited with making the difference against the only semi-finalist not to have fully utilised the Bosman signing rule.
Limerick led from pillar to post although the 10-point half-time lead was reduced to just seven (70-63) by the finish.
Killester's Serbian Branislav Tomic did finish with 24-points for the north Dublin club, while John Quigley and Damien Sealy competed well but it was not enough to overcome the three pronged offensive of Leonard, Taylor and Steven.
In a repeat of last year's woman's final, UL-Aughinish will play Killester, also on Sunday, January 29th, at the National Arena.
UL saw a three-year winning streak ended on live television by Killester last season and have since struggled to regain the sort of form that saw them dominate the Superleague.
Irish international Michelle Aspell was in fine form in yesterday's semi-final, shooting 23 points in a convincing 68-44 victory over St Paul's.
Killester eventually saw off Mercy 78-62 in the other semi-final with Sue Altman finishing with an impressive 35 points in the north Dublin derby.
MEN'S CUP: semi-finals: (National basketball arena) Limerick Lions 70 Killester 63; UCC Demons 118 Ballina 101.
WOMAN'S CUP: semi-finals: UL-Aughinish 68 St Paul's 44; Killester 78 Mercy 62.
