PREVIEW: Basketball Ireland National League Opening Round Preview

The League season begins in earnest this weekend, with C&S UCC Demons and Team Montenotte Hotel defending their respective Premier League titles.

C&S UCC Demons face a stern test in defence of their Men’s Premier League title on day one of the Basketball Ireland National League. The Cork side, unbeaten in all competitions last season, face a Templeogue side who pushed them all the way in the 2015 Champions Trophy Final.

“Last year’s level might not be needed”, says Demons Player Coach Colin O’Reilly. “For us it’s trying to be as good as we can be every time we step onto the floor. We only have to be better than our opposition.”

Templeogue recruited Michael Bonaparte from BFG Neptune and Lithuanian duo Mazvydas Cepliauskas and Aurimas Statkus from the now defunct Dublin Inter. Head Coach Mark Keenan says injury has interrupted their pre-season.

“Expectations are high within the club. If we’re fully healthy we can compete but we can’t get carried away. It’s about consolidating based on last year’s achievements.”

Belfast Star are one of the teams aiming to improving on last year. “If we are not aiming for the top four, what the hell are we coming into this league for?” says Head Coach Neal McCotter. “We’ve signed a guy who playing in the NCAA final. That’s a statement of intent.”

Champions Team Montenotte Hotel have brought in American guard Chantell Alford for a newly expanded Women’s national league.  “A lot of other teams have brought in a couple of Americans so Chantell is definitely going to be an asset,” says teammate and Player of the Year Niamh Dywer.

“Personally I’m feeling refreshed from playing with Ireland at the European Games and Mark [Scannell] has brought a lot of fresh thinking into our training.”

The Basketball Ireland National League comprises 20 men’s teams and 18 women’s teams with a Premier League and Division One in both formats.

National League Fixtures:

Saturday 3 October 2015

Men's Premier League

UCD Marian v Belfast Star, UCD Sports Centre, Dublin, 19:00                       

Templeogue BC v C&S UCC Demons, Oblate Hall, Inchicore, 19:30                            

UL Eagles v DCU Saints, UL Sport Arena, Limerick, 19:30                 

Pyrobel Killester v SSE Airtricity Moycullen, IWA Clontarf, Dublin, 20:00                  

Women's Premier League

Team Montenotte Hotel v UL Huskies, Upper Glanmire Sports Centre, Cork, 17:00                          

Pyrobel Killester v Courtyard Liffey Celtics, Irish Wheelchair Centre, 18:00                            

Maxol WIT Wildcats v DCU Mercy, Mercy SS, Waterford, 19:00                  

Men's Division One

Kestrels v Maree BC, Colaiste Iosagain Portarlington, 18:00                          

JM&L Auctioneers Titans v KUBS, Colaiste Iognaid, 19:00                              

BFG Neptune v Fr Mathews, Neptune Stadium, 19:00                   

Keane's SuperValu Killorglin v ITC Basketball, Killorglin Sports Centre, Kerry, 19:15                            

Women's Division One

NUIG Kingfisher Mystics v Marble City Hawks, NUIG Kingfisher, 14:00                    

Fr Mathews v Longford Falcons, Douglas Community School, Cork, 17:00                              

Sunday 4 October 2015

Women's Premier League

Singleton's SuperValu Brunell v Meteors               Parochial Hall, Cork, 14:45                            

Men's Division One 2015-2016

&S Blue Demons v Team Kilkenny, Mardyke Arena, Cork, 15:15                 

Women's Division One 2015-2016

Oblate Dynamos v Ulster Rockets, Oblate Hall, Inchicore, 13:30                 

ITC Basketball v Team Garvey's Tralee, IT Carlow, 13:30                 

Preview & fixtures details with thanks to Basketball Ireland, for more click HERE.

Tune in to The Big Red Bench with Ruairi O'Hagan and Lisa Lawlor every Saturday and Sunday evening from 6pm.