It's been a decade since either UCC Demons or Killester have etched their name on the Domino's Men’s Super League trophy. One of those droughts will end this evening at the National Basketball Arena.
This is a rivalry that has been building throughout the season, with the last instalment a chippy affair in the Mardyke Arena shortly after Killester lifted the Pat Duffy National Cup at the expense of UCC Demons earlier this year. Demons had the last laugh on that occasion in a 108-96 win in front of their home fans, but reversing January’s final defeat with silverware on the line would be much sweeter.
"People definitely play differently with more pressure," believes UCC Demos guard Patrick Robinson, who joined the team at the start of December. "That’s why playoff basketball suits us as a team though, because we have practiced those critical situations which allows us to come out on top."
Robinson was this week named to the Domino’s Men’s Super League All-Star first team, along with team-mate Elijah Tillman, whom Robinson is very thankful to be playing with.
"He’s a big, big help down the stretch in games. Even if we’re struggling to get him the ball during the game, when it’s crunch time and we find a way to give him the ball, he’s likely to get fouled and that free-throw is almost always going in."
The College of Charleston graduate isn’t wrong. Tillman is averaging 22.5 points this season, including a whopping 69.8% from inside the arc and 75.7% from the foul line as the Cork side bid for their ninth league success.
"I’m sure we’re going to pick it up where we left off," Robinson adds with a smile when the subject of tension between the teams is raised.
"Both teams are hungry, both teams are well coached. This is the number one versus the number two team in the league playing for a championship, that’s always exciting to be a part of."
Kason Harrell’s fourth season as a Killester player couldn’t be going much better. The Pittsburgh guard picked up the MVP award in the Pat Duffy National Cup final and joins Tillman, Robinson and his team-mate Paul Dick on the Domino’s Men’s Super League All-Star First Team.
One of his biggest disappointments in orange and black came at this stage last season though, when he was unable to lead Killester past Griffith College Éanna in the decider.
"Jonny’s probably not going to like me saying this, but that game has been on my mind since April of last year," Harrell began. "It’s definitely a big reason why I wanted to come back, to try and get to this stage again and I’m just thanking God that I’ve been afforded this opportunity to be back here just one year later."
Having started the year 13-2, the club were hit by an injury to Irish international Paul Dick in January. Harrell is delighted to have him back close to full fitness ahead of the final on Sunday.
"Anytime you lose one of the best players in the country, you’re going to struggle. Paul is amazing not only as a player, but as a team-mate, so him going down like that definitely added a little bit of struggle to the regular season and we dropped a couple of games, but one thing about our team is that we stay together, stay resilient and when he did come back, we were able to pick up where we left off."
"This is going to be a war on Sunday," continued Harrell. "We were able to get them in the cup and I know they took that very personally as defending champions, so we knew going into the Mardyke (in the league afterwards) that it was going to be intense and it surpassed expectations."
"Meeting them again for another trophy is going to be 40-minutes of all out war. I think the fans can expect a really good game from both teams and at the end of it, I believe the best team will come out on top," he added.
If that team is Killester, it will be the first championship for the team since the 2013/14 season and the perfect conclusion to Harrell’s four-year journey to the top of the mountain in North Dublin.
