BASKETBALL:NEPTUNE'S FIGHT to finish in second place in the Nivea For Men's SuperLeague Southern Conference continues this weekend at home to Hoops. UL Eagles have already secured top spot in the conference but second would guarantee home advantage in the quarter-finals of the play-off's.
Neptune’s last outing resulted in a surprising defeat away to Ulster Elks but their head coach Pat Price is keen to erase that disappointment and get their play-off hopes back on track.
“The disappointment from last week’s performance needs to be put behind us, as we head down the final stretch of the season looking to secure a home quarter- final in the play-offs,” said Price. “Our priority on Saturday is on playing our tempo and being disruptive to Hoops’ half court execution.
“The recent addition of Ciaran White has bolstered Hoops’ front line, and we will need huge performances from our forwards,” added Price.
“Juwann James is doubtful for the game, after suffering a shoulder injury in Belfast. Jason Bennett will need to give us interior scoring and continue to be a great defensive presence for us. We realise what Hoops are capable of if they are left to dictate the pace of the game and we cannot allow that to happen this weekend.”
UCC Demons, who currently occupy second, face a double header this weekend with DCU Saints and UCD/Marian on the horizon.
Elsewhere, in the Northern Conference, second place Belfast Star take on UL Eagles and third place DCU Saints also face Killester, just a day after facing UCC Demons.
Ulster Elks, on the back of three successive wins, take on Moycullen with the Ulster side still in with a shout of securing third place in the Northern Conference.
Meanwhile, in the IrishSport.TV Women’s Superleague, title chasers UL and DCU Mercy clash, while Killester take a trip to Cork to face the current leaders Team Montenotte Hotel Cork.
Elsewhere, Tolka host Bausch and Lomb Waterford Wildcats and on Sunday Meteors take on Sligo All Stars.
UL have bounced back from their National Cup semi-final loss to DCU with four wins on the trot to leave them in a great position to finish the regular season in second place.
This weekend represents an opportunity for UL to atone for defeats to DCU in the cup while their league meeting saw Mark Ingle’s side secure a 74-59 win in December.
“DCU Mercy have been excellent all year,” said UL Head Coach James Weldon. “They were very good in the cup final.
“We were obviously disappointed to lose the semi-final,” he added, “but it was a pretty tight game and we can take heart from that. We have managed to win all our league games since the defeat so the semi-final has made the team stronger.”
