Garvey’s Tralee Warriors are away tonight in the Domino’s Men’s Super League.
They have a 7 o’clock tip-off against Limerick Celtics.
Also tonight, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors U20s get their season underway with a home fixture in Moyderwell Gym.
They take on Rathmore Ravens in an all Kerry showdown at 8.
Belfast Star take their undefeated record on tour to Kerry this Bank Holiday, visiting Flexachem KCYMS and Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in the first double-game weekend of the Domino’s Men’s Super League season. Four such gameweek’s take place throughout the season, often throwing up surprise results due to the less than 48-hour turnaround between games.
It’s the biggest test of Adrian Fulton’s charges following an impressive opening sgambit this season. Star dug themselves out of a hole against Limerick Celtics, finding themselves down 18-points at one stage in the third quarter. It’s hard to see lightening striking twice in the South West coast should Killorglin find themselves in a similar position on Saturday. Jordan Blount had a quiet game in their first loss of the year against Killester a week ago. Expect a big bounce-back performance from him in front of his home fans.
Domino’s Men’s Super League champions UCC Demons have made a roster move ahead of their showdown against the side they took down to win the title last season, Killester. Former Garvey’s Tralee Warriors guard Jarvis Doles has come in to replace Zach Hinton, who was unable to get going in his three games for Danny O’Mahoney’s outfit. Killester rebounded well from their loss to Griffith College Éanna by winning on the road in Killorglin a week ago. Robert Braswell could be a big matchup problem for UCC Demons without the presence of Elijah Tillman inside this season.
Ballincollig and UCD Marian could be our first overtime game in the Domino’s Men’s Super League season. Two-thirds of the games involving the sides this season have been won by a margin of six or less and UCD Marian currently boast the fourth ranked defense in the league. Latavious Mitchell and Latrell Jossell combined for 61-points in Ballincollig’s first win of the campaign against Energywise Ireland Neptune, as they shot more than 70% from inside the arc. Expect Ioannis Liapakis to collapse the defense to avoid giving them an easy lane to the basket this weekend.
Newly-promoted Limerick Celtics have made a squad switch with Zach Hudson coming in to replace injured Austin Rotroff. Celtics will play host to both the earliest and one of the latest games of the weekend. UL Arena will be the venue to showcase the sole Friday fixture in the Domino’s Men’s Super League this weekend when Celtics take on Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, who are looking to get their third win in four games to open the season. Celtics then have a few days grace as they do not play again until the Monday when they face Energywise Ireland Neptune, who are still searching for their first win of the season.
Bright St. Vincent’s are another team who’ve shuffled the pack ahead of fixtures against EJ Sligo All-Stars and Flexachem KCYMS this Bank Holiday weekend. They’ve brought back a familiar face in big-man Gio Tvalabeishvili alongside guard Will Thomas following a 1-2 start. Sligo will feel the result got away from them a week ago against UCD Marian. Shane O’Meara saw his team go down 87-81 in the absence of Irish international John Carroll – who is in line for a return on Saturday night.
Elsewhere, it’s a big weekend for Energywise Ireland Neptune both on-and-off the court. The refurbished Neptune Stadium is officially being opened on Friday afternoon ahead of their home game against Griffith College Éanna. Keith Daly is entering must-win territory following an 0-3 start if they want to keep their playoff push alive later in the season. Greg Adon made his debut last weekend and Joe-Junior Muvezolo showed that he has a lot to contribute following an early season switch from Sligo, but it needs to come together quickly if they’re going to turn over Éanna, who pulled off a huge win without Sean Jenkins coming into this one.
Just two teams remain in the hunt to be the last undefeated side, as the Domino’s Women’s Super League enters week four. Last season’s finalists Killester and Utility Trust St. Paul’s can emphasise their title credentials, by taking their record to 4-0 during the Bank Holiday weekend.
Utility Trust St. Paul’s face a tricky assignment in the early game on Saturday, as they take on the promoted side McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles, buoyed by their first top flight win against Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers. Killarney have put on some statement performances to start the season, with a double-digit average margain of victory in wins over SETU Waterford Wildcats, Portlaoise and Catalyst Fr. Mathews. Cavan’s defense is a staple of their identity though and with both teams allowing under 65-points-per-game, this is likely come down to which offense can execute more efficiently under pressure down the stretch.
Killester boast the most high-flying offense in women’s basketball, averaging 80 points through three games, allowing a mere 58 in the process. Catalyst Fr. Mathews are the visitors to Clontarf this weekend, desperately in search of a maiden win of the season. Secondary scoring has been the Cork club’s achilles heel. New signing Laila Blair notched 34-points in their most recent game against Utility Trust St. Paul’s, but with Amy Murphy next on the boxscore with 12, more is required if they’re going to leave North Dublin with an upset on Saturday night.
The pressure to secure an elusive first win of the season is almost at fever pitch for WSL National Cup holders, FloMAX Liffey Celtics. Trinity Meteors make the short trip to Leixlip for a game with big early season implications at both ends of the table. Trinity lost their unbeaten record to a last second Alyssa Frescas lay-up a week ago, so will be out for compensation against a Celtics defense currently giving up more than 80-points per outing. Three double-digit defeats for Liffey Celtics so far this season is far from the start head coach Hillary Netsiyanwa will have hoped for, as they approach the beginning of their National Cup defence in just two weeks.
It’s a battle to return to .500 in Portlaoise, with Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers facing UCC Glanmire. A win for either could see them open up a two-game advantage on the team’s beneath them, should FloMAX Liffey Celtics and Catalyst Fr. Mathews fail to get off the mark earlier in the day. Jessica Fressle has enjoyed her recent outings against Glanmire. The Panthers’ forward almost averaged a double-double as Portlaoise went 2-0 against their rivals in the Domino’s Women’s Super League a year ago.
The final fixture of the weekend takes place in Mercy College as SETU Waterford Wildcats host Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell, with both teams looking to reach 3-1 and set out their intentions to the rest of the league. Waterford kicked off the season with a loss to Killarney, they followed up that loss with a big win against Liffey Celtics and managed to win again last weekend against Trinity Meteors inside the final minute to reach 2-1. As for Brunell, They started the season strong with two victories over UCC Glanmire and McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles. Brunell however, did lose their unbeaten start last weekend after an 11-point loss to Killester. They will be hoping to get their season back on track and make it three wins in four in the Domino’s Women’s Super League.
