Basketball News: Another season and another pack of overseas players invade the Irish Superleague in search of a pay-off. Making the play-offs would be a bonus, no doubt, to their bank accounts.
Basketball Ireland released the names of the new signings but repeating them here is unnecessary as the majority will turn their backs on the Superleague within 12 months. Some won't even make it to Christmas or the rebranded All Star game in the New Year. Most arrive from the US because they cannot cut it at home or in the European leagues. The Superleague is the backwater: last-chance-saloon stuff.
The money could of course be spent developing Irish basketball at the grassroots.
The men's season gets an ideal opening when Cork giants Neptune and UCC Demons meet at the Neptune Stadium on Sunday, while Ballina and UCD Marian travel to Killester and St Vincent's tomorrow. Champions, St Vincent's, are in good shape with the Donnelly brothers - Emmet, Dave and James - in action against Ballina, who will hope to entice back Mayo footballer Ronan McGarrity.
In the women's Superleague, Killester did manage to re-sign American Sue Altman, who missed the tail-end of last season through injury, having made an impact during the campaign.
There were signs last year the UL Aughinish dynasty was crumbling. The departures of Rachel Clancy (to an American scholarship), coach Tony Hehir and Michelle Aspell look like confirmation. Hehir and Aspell have switched to the Wildcats.
WEEKEND FIXTURES - tomorrow - Men's Superleague - Round One: Star of the Sea v Hoops (7.15), Jordanstown; Killester v Ballina (8.30), IWA Clontarf; St Vincent's v UCD Marian (7.30) St Vincent's CBS; Limerick Lions v St Paul's (7.30), University of Limerick. Sunday: Neptune v UCC Demons (3.00), Neptune Arena.
Women's Superleague - Round One: UL Aughinish v Wildcats (5.00), UL Arena; Tolka Rovers v Meteors (6.15), Tolka Rovers Sports Complex; Killester v Montenotte Cork (formally Glanmire), (6.00) IWA Clontarf.
