Notre Dame retrieved a near desperate situation on Saturday night to end a month of misfortune with an emphatic 99-82 victory over Marian in Belfield.
The victory keeps their league title hopes intact although when they trailed 53-41 at half-time it looked as though their torrid midwinter slump would continue to plague them.
Before the game, the signs were typically depressing for the reigning cup holders after their experienced former international guard/forward Darren McGuinness abruptly left the club.
McGuinness subsequently commented that he had decided to retire but it is clear that there was a serious point of dispute between club and player. Notre Dame did not wish to comment on the decision of McGuinness but they made it clear that this time the split is a final one.
Last season McGuinness also left the club in similarly sudden circumstances only to rejoin several weeks later.
Considering that setback for Notre Dame along with the recent devastating loss of player-coach Anthony Jenkins with a ruptured achilles tendon two weeks ago, it was a remarkable feat by Notre Dame to come back from a 12point half-time deficit to completely dominate the final quarter.
It was an especially noteworthy achievement insofar as it followed back to back league defeats against Killester and Killarney.
Marian's considerable second half foul trouble contributed heavily to their collapse and it led indirectly to Randall Mounts having an almost free route to the basket in the closing stages.
Notre Dame first pulled back level at 60-all eight minutes after the break and then scored 12 points in a row with over five minutes to go to take complete control.
The match marked the debut of Notre Dame's new American Daniel Johnson who had only flown into Dublin on the morning of the game. The club's secretary and PRO Bride Saunders confirmed that a very tired Johnson, who scored 10 points and collected 12 rebounds, will remain with them for the rest of the season.
Notre Dame's victory keeps them two points adrift of Star of the Sea who won easily in Killarney 106-82. The Kerry club, who let Toriand Edwards go last week, were unable to get their former American Raymond Foster back for the game and Star dominated for the most part with John Leahy their top scorer on 35.
Like Killarney, third placed Dungannon failed to compensate adequately for a missing American and they went down 86-72 in Killester. Dungannon actually led by 11 points early on and were 4038 ahead at the break. However, once Killester tied the game at 46all early in the second half, Dungannon quickly conceded seven points in a row and they never got back on terms.
Reigning league champions Neptune won more league games over the weekend than they managed in the previous three months of the season as initially they defeated Tralee 95-88 on Friday night before beating Ballina yesterday 103-86.
Both victories featured a notable return to form by Gordon Fitzgerald who scored 34 points over the two games.
Like Neptune, Tralee were in action for a second time over the weekend but in contrast, they suffered back to back defeats as they went down yesterday in Glasnevin 97-87, against St Vincent's.
In Division One, American Gordon Winchester scored 42 points for Sligo who maintained their six point lead at the top with a 101-89 win in Castleisland.
In the women's superleague it is now almost certain that Wildcats will win their fourth title in succession after their 83-61 home win over Meteors on Saturday. They have a six point lead after Tolka's 68-57 defeat in Cork by Blarney.
