GCD Swords Thunder coach Dave Baker said his team had to face up to some home truths before their brilliant Hula Hoops Men’s National Cup semi-final victory over C&S UCC Demons on Friday night.
The Dubliners were superb in a 103-82 defeat of Colin O'Reilly's Demons, and Baker afterwards praised the hunger of his group to raise the bar as they made their first cup final at Premier League level.
"We started off last week with UL and we knew we had to start getting clinical in the second half of the season," said Baker.
"We had some home truths and a good talk over Christmas. Some of the guys stuck around and didn't go home and I feel it’s really stood to us.
"We knew we’d have to play 40 minutes of top basketball which we haven’t played all year to compete with Demons. They’re champions and they’re a class act. I’m so proud of my bunch – we did it."
Demons overcame UCD Marian in last year's final to take the title, but the reigning champions had no answer for Thunder's aggression and discipline.
"We stuck together and I didn’t feel at any stage we were going to let it drop," Baker added. "I told them, ‘they’re going to go on their runs, they get energy from the crowd and Colin has them drilled very, very well', but we just kept to our game.
"We didn’t feel at any stage we let it drop and we tried to control the tempo and I feel we came out on top."
