Star go back to back
in Superleague
Mark Woods
Belfast's Star of the Sea made sure of
back to back ESB SuperLeague crowns, securing the title with a 72-83 success
at Ulster rivals Dungannon.
The defending all-Ireland champions entered
the game without Gareth Maguire (back), Javan Dupree (knee) and Kevin Craig
(stomach virus) but even without three of their premier players, they still
proved too strong for their struggling hosts.
Ex-Star guard Trevor Smullen, who has been
Dungannon's best player this season, missed the start of the contest and
his poor luck was carried on by this team. In an impressive first quarter
showing, Star took a 8-22 lead and were never troubled thereafter.
Star's American duo John Leahy and Ryan
Howse were in terrific form and with Canadian Drew Moir adding some steely
defense, Frankie O'Loane's team had little reply, their American Jamal
Chretien the principal stopper in keeping the eventual margin down.
Winning coach Darren O'Neill thus follows
his predecessor Danny Fulton in keeping the SuperLeague title in Northern
Ireland and will now hope to do the same when the play off finals roll
round later this month.
"We have been playing exceptionally well
and I felt the league was ours two weeks ago. All year we have won from
different sources all the time. Last year, Star won on the back of fantastic
form from Gareth Maguire and John Leahy. This year Gareth has been short
of that standard and John has been erratic at times so different sources
have come up to win the games.
"It was the same last night where Drew
Moir stepped up for an excellent game and Scott Summersgill did a great
job. There's a lot of talent in this team and when anybody drops out, someone
comes up.
Despite their pre-season tag of favourites,
O'Neill admits that the burden of expectation has not always rested easy.
"There is pressure when people expect you
to win, but it's also a challenge. I know Neptune have done it but it doesn't
happen very often that teams win back to back titles, so that in itself
was a challenge coming in here."
Howse led the victors on 25, Chretien topping all scorers on 26.
Star will celebrate their success in front
of their home crowd at Maysfield next Sunday when they host Dublin Bay
Vikings.
