Gurr and Coleman new national coaches

BASKETBALL: Basketball Ireland announced yesterday that Greg Gurr and Maeve Coleman will be the national head coaches for the 2006-07 season.

Gurr, although working for Basketball Ireland for the past two and a half years as director of high performance, brings a vast amount of hands-on experience, having coached four national teams and worked in nine different domestic leagues around the globe.

The Australian native has a difficult task to bring the men's senior team back to the heights of this year when qualification to the top tier of European competition was only missed due to a controversial defeat in Denmark.

However, the statement released yesterday seemed to indicate several top Irish-American players available to the squad in recent years may not return to the fold when the qualifiers resume next autumn.

"2006 will see the senior men's programme enter a rebuilding phase and it will also aim to touch as much of the basketball community of Ireland as possible. Efforts to access and select locally based players will also be emphasised," read the statement.

Gurr will continue his current role that has already seen him restructure the national team programme.

"I am honoured to be appointed to this position," he said. "Working in Ireland over the past two years has shown me the tremendous potential for growth and development of basketball in Ireland. Gerry Fitzpatrick's work over the past five years has been outstanding and I am looking forward to building on the work he has done for Irish basketball."

Coleman is a tutor at Drogheda Institute of Further Education and has won coach of the year on three occasions.

"I am absolutely delighted and hope that I will do justice to the role. Basketball for women of all ages is a very special thing to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to progress the cause. The women's national programme is in good shape thanks to the work of others, and I am eager to build upon their contribution."

Basketball Ireland also announced Philip McLoughlin of MC Sport, through the Legea brand, will provide all 12 national teams with their on-court and off-court gear for the European championships.

Last Sunday's cup finalists are straight back into regular Superleague action this weekend in an attempt to cement play-off spots with just seven weeks left in the regular season.

The Demons have lost Barry Kelleher, at least until March, due to a broken foot, leaving them understrength for the visit of St Vincent's on Sunday. Limerick return to the national arena to face Shamrock Rovers Hoops without John Steven (ankle) and Bosman signing Adrian Walshe.

Shamrock Rovers are bottom of the Northern Conference, level on six points with Star of the Sea and UCD Marian, but back-to-back games this weekend could see them make an unlikely push for the play-offs. Ahead of Limerick's arrival on Sunday, they face Neptune.

Meanwhile, Basketball Ireland are introducing a "hotshots" competition over the next three weeks at every men's Superleague game with the winners progressing to a decider on the same weekend as the league finals.

The overall winner will receive four tickets to the NBA game between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, with four nights' accommodation included.

FIXTURES

SATURDAY: Men's Superleague: Shamrock Rovers Hoops v Neptune, National Arena, 7.30 Tralee Tigers v Star of the Sea, Tralee Sports Complex, 8.0 Killarney Lakers v Ballina, Presentation, 7.30. Women's Superleague: Killester v Meteors, Greendale, 6.0 Waterford Wildcats v UL Aughinish, Mercy Gym, 7.30

SUNDAY: Men's Superleague: Shamrock Rovers Hoops v Limerick Lions, National Arena, 3.0 UCC Demons v St Vincent's, Mardyke Arena, 3.15. Women's Superleague: Oblate Dynamos v St Paul's, Oblate Hall Inchicore, 3.30.