Conor Grace played his first competitive game in almost two years as Templeogue comfortably beat UCD Marian at the Oblate Hall.
The Ireland international returned from injury to score 14 points in his first game since April 2013 as UCD played like a side with a Men's National Cup final on their minds.
Fellow finalists C&S UCC Demons cruised past the challenge of Belfast Star with a 109-80 win at the National Arena while Killester out-hustled BFG Neptune in a knockout final quarter to keep hopes of defending their Men’s Premier League title alive for another week.
Neptune led in the first, third and final quarters but could only muster a losing bonus point as Killester beefed up on defence in the final minutes.
UL Eagles snapped a seven game losing streak to beat DCU Saints at the UL Arena.
In the Women’s Premier League, Courtyard Liffey Celtics firmly established their play-off credentials with a five point win over DCU Mercy. DCU Mercy could be forgiven for suffering a Cup hangover – players like Erica Cody Kennedy Smith lost to Glanmire in two separate National Cup Semi-Finals last weekend but Celtics’ guard Shelby Smith was delighted to beat them in a physical encounter.
Edel Thornton became the first player to hit 30 points in the Women's Premier League this season as Singleton SuperValu Brunell beat UL Huskies at the UL Arena.
The Cork teen will play US college ball with Quinnipiac Bobcats next season and plays an U19a Schools final and an U20 National Cup final in the next seven days.
Killester blew the relegation dogfight in the Women’s Premier League wide open with a seven-point win over Meteors at the Irish Wheelchair Association.
A new rule for the 2014/2015 season threatens relegation for the bottom side in the league and while Killester remain eighth after the win, just two points separate all four teams in the bottom half of the table.
Team Montenotte Hotel hit their highest score of the season in beating Maxol WIT Wildcats 77-45 in Glanmire.
Results
Men’s Premier League
UL Eagles 87, DCU Saints 79
Killester 78, BFG Neptune 72
Templeogue 78, UCD Marian 48
C&S UCC Demons 109, Belfast Star 80
Women’s Premier League
Team Montenotte Hotel 77, Maxol WIT Wildcats 45
UL Huskies 44, Singleton SuperValu Brunell 65
Killester 68, Meteors 61
Courtyard Liffey Celtics 61, DCU Mercy 56
