Having achieved their first win of this season’s Superleague, Moycullen men’s basketball now face another double-header this weekend when they host DCU Saints on Saturday (6pm ) in NUIG followed by a trip to Limerick on Sunday to play the Eagles.
Key players for both opponents are international point guards Emmet Donnelly and Limerick’s Scotty Kinevane and how they contain those two senior internationals could help determine whether Moycullen can add to their opening win last weekend over Ulster Elks.
Both sides will present similar challenges for the Galway outfit as they boast a healthy scoring spread in offence and play a physical defence. As a result Moycullen coach Enda Byrt will be looking for his side to match DCU’s intensity levels, and if they do, Moycullen will fancy their chances as they came close to beating DCU pre-season.
UL Eagles are currently the Southern Conference leaders - a side Moycullen faced just two weeks ago. On that occasion the score was level at half time before an impressive third quarter performance from Kinevane ended any hopes of a home side upset.
However their confidence has been boosted following their continued dominance of the Ulster Elks last weekend when a solid first-half performance, followed by a big third-quarter push, saw them earn a third successive Superleague victory over the Jordanstown outfit and, more importantly, a first win of the season.
Having had one or more key players in foul trouble at the half in each of the previous games, Coach Byrt rotated his team in the first half and they still led by two points, 40-38. In the third quarter Moycullen took control, limiting Elks to just six points, and while the fourth was a little nervy, the result was never in doubt. Moycullen maintained their defensive effort, and a couple of strong plays from impressive American Mason Ambler saw them seal a 75-65 victory.
“We have lost a lot of games in the third quarters this season, but this was definitely our best third of the season and it helped us to our first win,” said Byrt. “We were conscious of Kevin Foley’s form this season and we did a very good job on him. I was very pleased with our team defence. We didn’t foul recklessly and overall we were a lot more disciplined.”
“This is a big win. Ulster Elks have quality players like Foley, Barry Drumm and Ben De La Cruz and I consider this a hugely important win.”
