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
