Randall Mounts is to remain with Notre Dame for the remainder of the season after a stunning, 37-point debut in the league victory over Neptune last Saturday, just 24 hours after signing for the Tallaght side.
Mounts linked up with his new club just hours after American Paul Hodges decided to leave Notre Dame, whose player coach, Anthony Jenkins, was relieved to be able to secure such a capable replacement at such short notice.
"I think Randall will be a better player for us than Paul, and he really showed that in the Neptune game," said Jenkins.
Notre Dame are at full strength for their all-Superleague Sprite Cup clash with St Paul's, Killarney, at the national arena in Tallaght tomorrow, and that means a key role for Mounts, who lines out alongside Jenkins and Lennie McMillan in a formidable squad which is unbeaten this season.
Notre Dame have already defeated Killarney comprehensively in the league 98-67, but the Kerry club have changed key players since then.
The newcomers, 6 ft 9 in Raymond Foster and Bosnian Blake Gage, helped to secure a first win of the season in the Kerry derby with Tralee last Saturday. But such is the strength of Notre Dame at the moment that it is hard to see them losing on their home court. "We have just been playing simple basketball so far, concentrating on strong defence and building up a good lead in our matches," Jenkins added. "The one thing we can improve on is making sure we keep those leads and not let them slip, like we've done towards the end of a few games."
Star of the Sea, joint leaders of the league with Notre Dame, also have Superleague opponents in their first cup tie in Dublin tomorrow, where they meet UCD/Marian in Belfield.
This looks the closest tie of the first round, as Marian have a wellbalanced side that has already defeated league title holders Neptune. Star has in-form Americans in John Leahy (27 points per game average) and Chuck Guittar (21 ppg), while the three-point shooting of Gareth McGuire and the clever distribution of Adrian Fulton have been key elements in a four-match winning streak.
Marian are well coached by American Matt Boyle and, on home territory, their American player, Mike Amos (25 ppg), and star Irish youngster, Patrick Glover, should ensure a far from straightforward passage for Star to the quarter-finals.
Ballina and St Vincent's, both winners of the cup this decade, will be expected to progress safely to the last eight as they have been drawn against lower division opposition. The Mayo men look to have a strong first five since the arrival of American Joseph McLean and the returned top form of Liam McHale. In spite of being drawn away from home, they should overcome promising Division One newcomers Waterford, who put out MSB in the preliminary round.
St Vincent's are in Kerry for a potentially difficult tie in Castleisland, who have an excellent signing in Robbie Turner, who has averaged a superb 34 points per game. In other cup games, Killester are home to Tralee tomorrow, while on Sunday Blue Demons are home to St Gall's and the surprise team, Dungannon, third in the Superleague, are away to Tolka. Neptune have a bye to the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the women of Tolka have their star player from last season, Rachel Kelly, back from Britain to bolster an already strong team which should progress in the women's Sprite Cup at the expense of Castleisland on Sunday in Griffith Avenue. League champions Wildcats, and the cup holders, Naomh Mhuire, should also have safe cup passages at home to Limerick and Belfast respectively.
