The Superleague Galway derby between Maigh Cuilinn and Maree is often a highlight of the basketball season west of the Shannon. Due to an issue with the University of Galway Sports Arena in November 2023, the first meeting of these great Galway rivals was postponed so that now we have two in as many weeks.
First Maree host Maigh Cuilinn on 13 January at the University of Galway Sports Arena and then eight days later, Maigh Cuilinn return the favour.
These are players well used to playing each other regularly but this surely is a bit much.
With Maree on six wins to date and Maigh Cuilinn sitting on four, both teams are in mid-table position. A good fortnight could propel Maigh Cuilinn genuinely into playoff contention. The same for Maree would make them league title contenders once more.
There will be plenty of stars on show on both teams with a nice mix of home grown talent and imported professional expertise on the court.
Maree head coach Charlie Crowley has rotated through a number of professional Americans this season but seems to have found two gems in Terence Lewis II and Tahmir Gadsden who combined for 55 points in Maree’s most recent outing, a loss to defending league champions Ballincollig.
Maigh Cuilinn have just the one American player but in Grant Olsson they have arguably the best in the league and while he had an underwhelming showing in Maigh Cuilinn’s last game (a win at home versus Sligo All Stars ) in scoring just 12, he netted 40 in a single game just before Christmas when they beat St Vincent’s of Dublin.
As for continental flair, Maree have Frenchman Tom Dumont who is averaging double figures and the genuinely enormous Croatian born Zvonomir Cutuk who leads the team in rebounding. Maigh Cuilinn for their part have the diminutive but lightning fast Croatian born Ivan Basic who recently had his season high 22 points plus big Spaniard Aitor Perez.
The key Irish players for both will be at the point guard spots with Patrick Lyons for Maigh Culiinn and Eoin Rockall for Maree, being two of the finest products of Galway basketball in recent memory.John Burke should also feature for Maree while Maigh Cuilinn will rely heavily on James Connaire, Joe Tummon, Dylan Cunningham and Kyle Cunningham.
