This weekend sees the Hula Hoops National Cup tip off, with some big games in store in both the women’s and men’s leagues. It’s a busy weekend for the men who also have a big double header weekend with league games also taking place across Sunday and Monday.
Hula Hoops Women’s Paudie O’Connor National Cup
Ambassador UCC Glanmire v Liffey Celtics (Saturday, Mardyke Arena UCC, 5.30pm)
Glanmire have the country’s best pedigree in the cup but they face the defending champions in the opening round. Glanmire come into the game off the back of a home loss to Fr Mathews in an exciting Cork derby. Coach Mark Scannell will be pleased by the continued scoring of Shrita Parker but will need to find a way to get more out of his other American Tatum Neubert. Liffey will be confident coming into the game on the back of a close home win against Brunell. Darby Maggard and Kylee Smith combined for 54 points last week and the team look to have responded well to their opening week loss to DCU Mercy. Both teams have lots of Irish talent and this game may come down to whose American duo steps up most in the knockout format.
DCU Mercy v Maree (Saturday, DCU, 6.30pm)
League leaders DCU Mercy face a tough challenge against Maree at home on Saturday. DCU have passed every test they’ve faced so far this year and look to have an amazing strength and depth to their team. Maree have lost just one game from four so far this season, and have shown they are going to be in contention for the league in their first year at Super League level. There are some great matchups as Claire Rockall and Sarah Woods go head to head in the battle of Irish stars. DCU have the size to dominate inside but Maree have shown themselves more than capable on the inside with Fiona Scally and Carly McClendon. Meredith Burkhall could be the X factor for DCU and it will be up to Joe Shields to come up with a plan to limit her influence.
Hula Hoops Men’s Pat Duffy National Cup
Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin v Garvey’s Tralee Warriors (Friday, Killorglin Sports Centre, 8pm)
The Kerry derby was the pick of the matchups when it was drawn back in September. Killorglin have struggled so far this season with just one win in five games. Depth is an issue for the team as they played just seven players in their loss to DCU last weekend. On Friday, they face a Tralee team who are gaining momentum after a dominant display against Templeogue at home last weekend. Tralee’s defense was suffocating and they had a spread of scoring across the team that showed their strength and depth. Last year, Killorglin managed to win one of their two games with Tralee and they will be hoping to upset Tralee again this year. The tie has the added spice in that it will be the first time that Ivan Bogdanovic and Daniel Jokubaitis return to face their old team having dramatically switched sides this past summer.
Griffith College Templeogue v UCD Marian (Saturday, Nord Anglia International School, 7pm)
In a repeat of the 2018 Cup final, Templeogue will host UCD Marian this weekend. Templeogue are coming off a disappointing road loss to Tralee that saw them shoot the ball poorly, going 1/23 from the three-point line. They will be happy to return to their new home in Nord Anglia where they have yet to lose. UCD won again on the road last weekend with a strong performance against Maree. There are interesting matchups all over the floor with Jason Killeen and Mario Markowicz going head to head in a familiar matchup. Lorcan Murphy will likely have a direct role in trying to limit Mike Garrow and this matchup could well decide the game.
Maree v Belfast Star (Saturday, Calasanctius College, 7.30pm)
Maree come into the game struggling for league form having lost their last four league games. Included in these games was an away loss to Belfast on October 12. In that game, Belfast’s American Delaney Blaylock was unguardable as he scored 27 points, while limiting Darin Johnson to just 10 points on 3/13 shooting. There was bad news for Star this week though as Blaylock has been ruled out of the game for the coming weeks due to a knee injury picked up in their win over Moycullen last weekend and will be a big loss for the side. Another big factor could be Maree’s Petar Madunic who made his debut against UCD last weekend. The 6’9 Croatian wasn’t there for the first fixture in Belfast and his size could be a good matchup with Keelan Cairns.
DCU Saints v Abbey Seals Dublin Lions (Saturday, St Vincent’s CBS, 8pm)
DCU bounced back from a heavy defeat to Tralee with a great home win over Killorglin last weekend. Mike Bonaparte and Martins Provizors combined well and look to be getting back to the form they showed together last year. Lions came agonisingly close to their first win at Super League level as they lost out to Killester by just three points. Romonn Nelson has been playing well for Lions and he is now joined in the backcourt by Anze Kos who made his debut last weekend. The two teams played against each other in the second week of the season and DCU won at home by just six points, although Martins Provizors was not there. This should be an interesting matchup of what will likely be a test of whether DCU’s interior or Lions perimeter can win out.
Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League
Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin v Belfast Star (Sunday, Killorglin Sports Centre, 3pm)
Less than 24 hours after they face Maree in the cup, Belfast Star are 200km further down the road to face Keane’s SuperValu Killoroglin in the league. Killorglin have the added benefit of an extra day’s rest, but they have a shorter rotation and some older players. Belfast need to win to maintain pressure on the front runners while Killorglin need a big win in the league to spark their season to life and will be hoping the home court advantage plus the extra day’s rest will work in their favour.
Pyrobel Killester v Garvey’s Tralee Warriors (Sunday, IWA Clontarf, 3pm)
Killester have a bye in the cup and will be waiting in Dublin for Tralee. Warriors undoubtedly are one of the team’s best suited to the double up weekend as they have a strength and depth to their squad that others can’t compete with. The day’s rest on Saturday will also help their case. Last November in the same fixture Tralee lost out narrowly and they will be looking to right that wrong this weekend. Killester have yet to play with an American and if they are without one this weekend it could be a big ask for them. Despite playing without an American they have the same record as Tralee and a home win would really show their title credentials.
UCD Marian v DCU Saints (Sunday, UCD, 3pm)
UCD Marian return home for just the second time this season as they face DCU Saints. Both teams come into the game off the back of a tough cup match the night before and this game could well be decided by who arrives in UCD in better condition. A win for either in the Cup will be a confidence boost, but both teams have key players who won’t relish two games in such a short time period. Mike Bonaparte and Mike Garrow will both be leaned on heavily by their teams in what could be a dogfight.
DBS Éanna v Maree (Monday, Colaiste Éanna, 2pm)
League leaders DBS Éanna have the benefit of both having a bye in the cup and a home league game this weekend. Maree play on Saturday against Belfast and head to Dublin on the Bank Holiday Monday to test unbeaten Éanna. Éanna also had a free weekend last weekend so they should be fresh and eagerly anticipating this game. To date, Éanna have been playing brilliant basketball with a point differential of 18 points per game. They are now well and truly on people’s radar as league contenders and each game will come with added pressure. Maree are capable of a shock but will need to play and shoot extremely well.
Griffith College Templeogue v Coughlan C&S Neptune (Monday, Nord Anglia International School, 3pm)
Undoubtedly the pick of the league games over the weekend, the other unbeaten team Neptune head to Dublin to face Templeogue. Neptune also have a bye in the cup so this will be their only game of the weekend. They have been playing fantastically well so far averaging 89 points a game. There are some great matchups including Lehmon Colbert against Jason Killeen. Neptune will be worried about the health of Kyle Hosford who picked up an injury against Dublin Lions two weeks ago. They had a free weekend last week to rest him and they will be hoping that they are in full health and ready to put their own title credentials to the test. A win for Neptune would give Templeogue their third loss of the season already which would have been unthinkable in October.
Moycullen v Abbey Seals Dublin Lions (Monday, NUIG, 3pm)
Moycullen will be looking to keep Dublin Lions winless in the league as the two teams matchup on Monday. Lions will have played on Saturday night against DCU but they have time to recover and the young team should be able to play again without too much difficulty. Moycullen, despite only having one win, have pushed Belfast Star and UCD Marian on the road and also won against Killester in Dublin. They now need to be able to protect their home floor and get a big win in what could be a major factor in the relegation battle this season. Lions have more international talent available to them but Moycullen have a battle tested Irish core who know what is needed.
