Preview: Enda Walshe
Scott’s Lakers round off their February travels with a trip to Clondalkin to face the Abbey Seals Dublin Lions – the amalgamation of three local clubs, Lucan, Rathcoole and Clondalkin – on Saturday at 7.15pm.
In American Ringo Dau and Kevin Obasuyi the host club possesses a deadly scoring duo who have combined for an average 43 points per game. In Tiernan Howe they also have a fine young player ranked in the top 10 three-point shooters in the league while Bosnian point guard Muhammed Sabic has a wealth of experience having played with the Lions since 2016.
Although this is their first league meeting, it’s not their first joust and they met in early November in the first round of the National Cup in the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre and young Michale Gormley inspire the visitors to a 73-70 win.
Their league form sees them at the bottom of the Northern Conference with five wins from their 16 games played but three of those wins have been in the last four games.
Lakers will be looking to end the month on a better note having found it a fruitless February. An arduous run of away games has seen them fall from the play-off radar but aside from the defeat to the Eagles, there has been some positives even in defeat to Drogheda Wolves and Malahide.
Rui Saravia is liable to boost his scoring averages while Senan O’Leary and Jamie O’Sullivan are more game time due to a weakened squad. The same goes for Eoin Carroll who, while still only 18, the experience he’s gaining now will give an added edge in years ahead. Oisin Spring is the quintessential squad member and he is getting the reward of extended court time.
Injury and GAA commitments continue to debilitate the Lakers but if everything can come together on the night there is no reason, given that they can subdue the influence of Dau, that they can’t make the last game in the month a successful one.
With a double header of home fixtures on the first weekend in March, it would be just the boost to finish the season on a high.
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