Preview: Enda Walshe
Having worked themselves into a position where they could challenge for the play-offs with a three-game winning run in January, Scott’s Lakers St Paul’s haven’t found February much fun as a demoralising reverse to the Limerick Sports Eagles was followed by an improved showing in defeat to the Drogheda Wolves.
Basketball Ireland recently announced plans that from next season there will be an emphasis on playing at home every other week as it feels clubs find it hard to harbour support with long gaps between home games.
They would do well to examine the Lakers’ February schedule which includes a trip to Louth and consecutive weekends in Dublin. If that wasn’t enough, the last game of the season includes a trip to Donegal. It is a punishing run of games for the team based furthest south in the country.
They travel to the Malahide Community School gym this Saturday to face a side who find themselves bang in the play-off conversation. They may sit fourth in the Northern Conference but they do so with two games in hand on second place Ulster University.
Trevor Recio is amongst the top scorers in the league, the 6’7” Florida native is a versatile performer averaging 27 points per game.
Matthew Harper, who began his career in the Superleague with Templeogue, is another influential figure alongside Sean Daly, Harper hit six three-pointers in last weekend’s win. The name Westbrooks is synonymous with Irish basketball ever since the arrival of Jerome from the USA in the 1980s and Issac is another member of the famous clan. Oisin Rice also needs careful watching.
While defeat was their lot in Drogheda last weekend there were some positives to be gleaned from it. Jack Ferguson hit 49 points for the second time this season and he is now second top scorer in the league with only Joshua Reynolds of Limerick Celtics bettering him.
Senan O’Leary followed up on his recent good form with 14 points against the Wolves. Rui Saravia will have to be at his best to combat the free scoring Recio but has that in his armoury.
The loss of Ronan Collins and Mark O’Shea has left a chasm in their squad but it has also given Jamie O’Sullivan a more prominent role within it. The same goes for Eoin Carroll and Oisin Spring and it is hoped that Jack O’Sullivan will also be available to play.
It would take a Herculean effort, and an unlikely sequence of results, for the Lakers to make the play-offs now but, sometimes, pride can be the biggest spur to perform.
Tip-off in Malahide Community School Gym is at 7.00pm.
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