Lakers face nemesis Ballincollig in Cup

SCOTTS Lakers have climbed to third place on the league table with a 4-2 winning record. League leaders Ballincollig, who remain unbeaten with a 5-0 record, are the visitors to Killarney Sports Centre this Saturday (7.30pm) for a National Cup first round clash. Ballincollig will be raging hot favourites because in the last five games between the teams in the past two years, the Cork side have won each one and will travel to Killarney in confident form.

A capacity crowd filled the Killarney Sports Centre a year ago to see Ballincollig clinch a thrilling 101-96 win helped by a 46 points from outstanding American Andre Nation. He is back again this year and along with Ciaran and Ronan O’Sullivan, Ian McLoughlin, Dylan Corkery, Daragh Fleming and Inigo Zabalo, the Cork side have a very talented squad. They have won the National Cup for the past two years and won’t want the Lakers stopping any three-in-a row ambitions.

Scotts Lakers are more than capable of causing an upset and coach Shane McCarthy will be looking for huge performances from all of his players. Ballincollig will focus on limiting the scoring threats of Aaron Jackson and Toby Christensen. Lakers have several other players capable of stepping up and the recent addition of Mick McGinn makes them a more formidable threat. Brian O’Neill, Victor Martinez, Mark Greene, Carlton Cuff, Andrew Fitzgerald and Seamus Brosnan will all have prominent roles to play.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE Portlaoise Panthers 82 Scotts Lakers Killarney 97

SCOTTS Lakers winning form continued following an impressive 15-point victory in Portlaoise last Saturday, which was their third consecutive win and the first away win this season. Despite lining out without the services of big men Andrew Fitzgerald and Carlton Cuff, the Lakers enjoyed an advantage throughout to help secure victory.

Lakers started with early three-pointers from Aaron Jackson and Mark Greene while Toby Christensen also made his presence felt. Further big three-pointers from Jackson and Brian O’Neill kept the visitors in front while Portlaoise kept in touch through Mantas Vilmas, Dylan Dunne and Kyle Burke.

Lakers finished the quarter much stronger with scores from Christensen and Mick McGinn while Jackson drained two three-pointers and a basket.

The Lakers enjoyed a 31-21 lead entering the second quarter but struggled to maintain that lead following a sequence of missed scoring opportunities and costly turnovers. Panthers grew in confidence and put up the scores through Sean Condon, Vilmas, Kyle Burke and Gary Morrissey to reduce Lakers lead to 38-36 midway through the second quarter.

However, the Killarney side responded well through the hard working Victor Martinez along with two three-pointers from Christensen and two converted freethrows by Jackson. It was enough to regain a 10-point advantage and Scotts Lakers lead 51-41 at the half-time interval.

The Lakers enjoyed a good run upon the resumption with baskets from Martinez, Greene, Jackson, Christensen and McGinn. O’Neill and Christensen added three-pointers while Seamus Brosnan also impressed as Lakers built up a 73- 57 lead entering the final quarter.

The first seven scores for Lakers in the final quarter included two free-throws from Christensen and five three-pointers – three from Jackson and one each from Christensen and O’Neill. Despite the best efforts of Vilmas, Morrissey, Condon and Kareem Davis for Panthers there was no way back for the home side against a dominant Lakers team that registered 16 three-pointers.

PORTLAOISE PANTHERS: M Vilmas 19, K Davis 18, S Condon 10.

SCOTTS LAKERS: Aaron Jackson 37, Toby Christensen 22, Brian O’Neill 14, Mick McGinn 12, Victor Martinez 7, Mark Greene 3, Seamus Brosnan 2, Jamie O’Sullivan, Jack Corridan.