CRUNCH time has arrived for both Belfast Star and Ulster Rockets in national basketball - a defeat for either this weekend would be a major blow to their chances of success in league and cup competitions.
After being dumped out of the men's National Cup by Killester last Saturday, Star must regroup and turn their attentions to building a league platform, while Rockets face a knockout Senior Women's Cup quarter-final. Both games at Methodist College, tomorrow.
Having won the first leg of their cup crack at Killester by 12 points, no-one could have envisaged the Belfast team getting a 49 points hammering in the second leg, in Dublin, but that's what happened. Now the shattered pieces have to be put together together again.
“Considering what happened, we had the best and most competitive practice session of the season this week,” said Star coach Neal McCotter.
“We just have to pick ourselves up and get on with the league. We have four tough games coming up in the next eight days and we must pick up points. If we don't do that, then the second part of the season is going to be a long one and little to aim for. It will be a case of building for next season.
“That, however, is not our thinking at the present time. I still feel that we can aim for a top four place in the league and that's what we will be striving for, starting this weekend.”
Star start with a game against UCD Marian, tomorrow night (7.00) at Methody, when they will come up against a former colleague. Spaniard Dustan Moreira played with Star two seasons back and is now with Marian.
“Dustan is an excellent player. Marian have good home players, of course, in 6'6” Neil Baynes and Conor Meaney. They have also a useful American guard called Alexander Zum,” says Coach McCotter.
When Star visited Marian earlier in the league they led the home side by 14 points heading for the finishing line but lost the game by five. That rankles with Star and should give them extra incentive to overturn that result.
Keelan Cairns is suffering from some back trouble, at present, but will be in action against Marian.
Rockets play their cup quarter-final game against Tralee tomorrow, at Methodist College (5.00), after the game was called off last weekend because of treacherous travelling conditions.
“The extra week has given Rebecca (Barker) more time to get over the ankle injury she suffered in the game with Fr Matthews,” says Coach Breda Dick. “We had a friendly game last weekend and that practice has been helpful too.”
Foot and ankle injuries have been a problem for Rockets over the past weeks. Emma O'Connor also suffered an injury at the tip-off with Castleisland, last month, but carried on during the match. However, the limb bothered her but she has also fully recovered. Louise Donnelly was the third member of the squad to suffer the same fate, when playing with Queen's, and it remains to be seen if she is back to full fitness again.
Anna Maguire, who was U18 cup-tied with UUJ last weekend, is now available to face Tralee, who are just below Rockets in the league but with a game in hand. Like the Ulster side, they lost to Fr Mathews, as well as, NUIG who Rockets beat by 25.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Friday, December 11
Hula Hoops Women's National Intermediate Club Championship quarter-final: Limerick Celtics v Clonaslee
Saturday, December 12
Men's Premier League: SSE Airtricity Moycullen v Pyrobel Killester; Belfast Star v UCD Marian (Methodist College, 7pm); Women's Premier League: Meteors, Dublin v Singleton's SuperValu Brunell; Courtyard Liffey Celtic, Leixlip v UL Huskies; Maxol WIT, Waterford v Team Montenotte Hotel, Cork; Men's Division One: Maree, Oranmore v KUBS, Dublin; Kestrels, Portarlington v SuperValu Killorglin; Team Kilkenny v IT Carlow; BFG Neptune v JM&L Auctioneers Titans, Galway; Fr Mathew's, Cork v C&S Blue Demons, Cork; Women's Division One: Team Denjoes American Style, Castleisland v Longford Falcons; Hula Hoops Senior Women's National Cup quarter-finals: NUIG Mystics v Meteors, Dublin; Ulster Rockets v Team Garvey's, Tralee (Methodist College, 5pm); Hula Hoops Men's National Intermediate Club Championship quarter-final: Cork Celts v North Star (Parochial Hall, Cork 4.15pm); Hula Hoops Women's National Intermediate Club Championship quarter-final: Ballincollig v Portlaoise Panters
Sunday, December 13
Men's Premier League: DCU Saints v UL Eagles; GCD Swords Thunder v Éanna, Dublin; Women's Premier League: DCU Mercy v Portlaoise Panthers; Men's Division One: Team Kilkenny v Maree, Oranmore; Women's Division One: Oblate Dynamos, Drimnagh v Team Garvey's, Tralee; Marble City Hawks v IT Carlow; Hula Hoops Women's National Intermediate Club Championship quarter-final: St Anthony's, Cork v Muckno Lakers.
