BASKETBALL: WEEKEND SUPER LEAGUE PREVIEWS 

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Four Galway teams compete on the National circuit again this weekend as teams seek to consolidate positions across three divisions.

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Maree are still in a relegation battle as they welcome fourth placed Pyrobell Killester to Calasanctius, Oranmore on Saturday night (7.45pm).

With four wins, the Galway outfit need to pick up points after their 90-82 defeat to Black Amber Templeogue last week.

They went down 80-69 to Killester in November who had strong displays from Royce Williams, Paddy Sullivan and Luis Garcis Hoyos.

But Maree have a good spread of strong players and just need a run of form to get away from Eanna BC in their battle to avoid the bottom two.  Kenneth Hansberry, Stephen Commins, Eoin Rockall, Jamelle Tolliver, Padraig Burke and Watkins Williams will be their key men.

Moycullen have broken into the top half but face a massive test when they travel to the ALSAA in Dublin on Saturday (5pm) for a meeting with second placed Griffith College Swords Thunder.

The west county team are holding their own with nine wins from 18 games and won’t travel in fear having been victorious over the same opposition 84-74 in November.

Brandon McGuire is their chief scorer but they also have capable contributors in Paul Freeman, Paddy Lyons and Cian Nihill as they aim to break into the top six.

TEAM PL W L PF PA PD PTS
Garveys Tralee Warriors 18 14 4 1441 1306 135 42
Griffith College Swords Thunder 18 13 5 1507 1278 229 39
UCD Marian 17 13 4 1404 1226 178 39
Pyrobel Killester 17 12 5 1447 1282 165 36
Black Amber Templeogue 17 12 5 1531 1405 126 36
UCC Demons 18 10 8 1627 1544 83 30
Moycullen 18 9 9 1458 1434 24 27
Belfast Star 18 8 10 1335 1306 29 24
DCU Saints 18 7 11 1392 1562 -170 21
Eanna BC 17 4 13 1307 1402 -95 12
Maree 18 4 14 1310 1591 -281 12
KUBS BC 18 0 18 1178 1601 -423 0

NUIG Mystics haven’t added to their maiden Women’s Super League win in January and suffered a heavy 107-45 loss to Ambassador UCC Glenmire the last day out.

It doesn’t get any easier this Saturday (6pm) when they face fourth placed Pyrobel Killester at the IWA in Clontarf.

That being said, only six points (61-67) separated the teams in three months ago in Colaiste Iognaid as the visitors shaded the points thanks to Chantell Alford, Jade Daly and Emma Sherwood.

NUIG Mystics have been close in most of their matches and will want to bounce back from that loss to Glenmire with performances Dayna Finn, Deirdre O’Shea, Deja Bullock, Aine McDonagh and Kiera Grimes crucial.

TEAM PL W L PF PA PD PTS
Courtyard Liffey Celtics 12 10 2 846 731 115 30
Ambassador UCC Glanmire 12 9 3 964 725 239 27
DCU Mercy 12 9 3 891 704 187 27
Pyrobel Killester 13 9 4 910 871 39 27
Singleton SuperValu Brunell 10 6 4 713 694 19 18
Maxol WIT Wildcats 12 5 7 786 785 1 15
Portlaoise Panthers 13 3 10 733 974 -241 9
IT Carlow Basketball 12 2 10 752 938 -186 6
NUIG Mystics 12 1 11 707 880 -173 3

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GamesFootage.com Titans have also found the going tough in the Men’s Division 1B but have a great opportunity on Sunday (3.30pm in The Jes when they face EJ Sligo All-Stars in a bottom of the table clash.

They beat them by five points (75-70) in October and a 12 point or better in front of their home supporters will not just produce a third win, but also take the Galway team off the bottom of the table.

Keegan Ryan, Jan Stec, Eoin Coughlan and Randal Kozlov will need big displays in probably the Titans’ biggest game of the year.

TEAM
PLD
W
L
PF
PA
PD
PTS
Dublin Lions 16 5 11 1357 1412 -55 15
EJ Sligo All-Stars 17 3 14 1208 1447 -239 9
GameFootage.net Titans 15 2 13 1138 1409 -271 6
LIT Celtics 15 4 11 1268 1377 -109 12
LYIT Donegal 15 6 9 1223 1418 -195 18
Paris Texas Kilkenny 15 7 8 1140 1134 6 21
Scotts Lakers St Pauls Killarney 16 8 8 1295 1263 32 24

Saturday, 17th February 2018 

Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:  

Griffith College Swords Thunder v Moycullen, ALSAA-Dublin, 17:00

Maree v Pyrobel Killester, Calasanctius College, Oranmore, 19:45

Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League:  

Pyrobel Killester v NUIG Mystics, IWA-Clontarf, 18:00

Sunday, 18th February 

Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One:  

GameFootage.net Titans v EJ Sligo All-Stars, The Jes, 15:30