BASKETBALL Belfast Star Book Play-Off Place

The latest fixtures in the Nivea For Men's Superleague saw Belfast Star secure their place in the play-off's on Saturday with a win at home to DART Killester, while Abrakebabra Tigers kept up their hopes with a fine win at home to Limerick Lions.

On Sunday, Neptune secured their play-off place with a win over HOOPS, UCD/Marian accounted for DCU Saints and UCC Demons continue their winning run at the expense of Ulster Elks.

Belfast Star have completed a superb turnaround to their season by clinching a place in the play-off's following their 81-78 win over DART Killester on Saturday night.

"It was a scrappy game," said Star's Kevin Foley, who chipped in with 15 points in the win. "We are in the play-off's but it wasn't our best performance and our coach let us know that.

"We had a feeling we could win this one," he added. "DART are a class side but everything has just clicked for us recently. The Americans, Jermaine Washington and Pierre Thomas, have made a huge impact since arriving and unlike the early stages of the season we feel we can win every game. We fully believe we are a match for anyone but we do need to improve on our display against DART if we have serious hopes of winning the championship."

Jermaine Washington was instrumental in Star's win with an impressive 27 points haul. DART, who had to prepare for the trip to Belfast without the services of Michael Bonaparte and Jonathan Grennell, trailed by just four points at the break but this defeat does nothing to dent their tag as Northern Conference champions.

Abrakebabra Tigers' Head Coach, Kevin O'Donoghue, paid tribute to his players' resilience for staying in the hunt for the play-off's after Saturday night's win at home to Limerick Lions.

The 77-64 win leaves the reigning league champions with an outside chance of making the knockout stages.

"It was a real team effort and it could go down to the wire but at least we have given ourselves a chance," said O'Donoghue.
"Everything went wrong at the start of the season," he added. "We lost our coach (Mark Bernsen), we had to prepare for a lot of games without our top players and at one stage many were predicting we could go the season without a win.

"However, our season took a step in the right direction with the return of Sean Carroll and Ger Myles and the whole squad deserve huge credit for getting us to a National Cup semi final and within sight of the play-off's."

Despite a close opening quarter (22-22), the Tralee giants pulled away with CJ Hadley and Roy Smallwood in particular fine form. Tigers now face UCC Demons and Ulster Elks in their remaining two games.

HOOPS face an anxious finale to the season with their latest clash resulting in a 105-90 loss away to a resurgent Neptune.
Neptune duo ED Millard and Vincent James played a huge role in the win, while Jonathan Reed's tally of 29 points was unable to save his side from defeat.

Despite already securing their play-off position, UCD/Marian are refusing to let up and continued their superb season at home to DCU Saints on a scoreline of 81-74.

Marian have certainly deserved their tag as the most improved side this season and this latest win sees them secure second place with plenty to spare.

UCC Demons are refusing to rest on their laurels as Southern Conference champions and enjoyed a comfortable 113-79 win over Ulster Elks.

January's Southern Conference Player of the Month Colin O'Reilly help land the win with 31 points.

Meanwhile, in Basketball Ireland's Women's Superleague, DCU Mercy have been crowned regular season champions after claiming a 62-46 win away to UL Aughinish. That win and Team Montenotte Hotel Cork's loss at home to Bausch & Lomb Wildcats means Mark Ingle's side advance to the play-off's buoyed by securing the regular season crown.

A win for UL would have left them in pole position for the regular season crown ahead of the play-off's but the visitor's produced a superb defensive display to continue their remarkable run of results since the heartbreak of their National Cup exit.

"I thought it was a very good game," said Mercy Head Coach Mark Ingle. "The points difference in the end wasn't a true reflection of the game. We were defensively excellent but it's the play-off's next and we must switch our attention to that."

Bausch & Lomb Wildcats gained some revenge on Team Montenotte Hotel Cork for their National Cup Final loss after claiming a 69-67 win to end Monetnotte's hopes of winning the regular season trophy.

Tony Hehir's side trailed by a solitary point at the break but managed to turn the tide with Melanie Thomas (24 points), Jillian Hayes (20 points) and Cathy Kavanagh (12 points) all contributing.

DART Killester's search for their first win of the season ended at home to Meteors with an impressive 73-56 win, while Tolka's fine season continued with a 61-48 win away to Leisureworld Churchfield IONA.

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