NEW Irish squad member Michael Richardson scored 33 points to help St Vincent's defy a week of bad luck and record a remarkable 104-81 victory in a bizarre Budweiser Superleague encounter with reigning champions, Tralee, in Glasnevin yesterday.
St Vincent's went on court with only one American, Eric Stevens, a new signing from Mississippi who had previously played in the Swiss league.
His arrival in Glasnevin came about after a traumatic week for the club during which Carter Long went home to the US while their other foreign player, Kevin Vulin, developed severe dental problems which rendered him unavailable.
To make matters worse St Vincent's then lost Stevens with a hand injury midway through the first half yesterday, after he had made a promising contribution of 13 points in that short opening spell.
For the remainder of the game St Vincent's had to rely on their Irish players who rose to the challenge to keep the half time deficit to just five points, 39-44.
Tralee had experienced their own difficulties in the run up to the game as they lost Corey Taylor with an ankle injury. His replacement Terry Smith struggled to make a significant impact and he only scored nine points.
As it transpired the most influential figure on court was Richardson who, in the 2 1/2 minutes directly following the halftime interval, plundered 10 consecutive points to put St Vincent's into the lead against the odds. From then on, Richardson and Stephen McGuirk (23 points) bore the brunt of the scoring responsibility to help the Dubliners rout the Kerrymen in the closing stages and win with ease.
The victory ensured that St Vincent's stayed in third place and in touch with the leaders Neptune and second place Star of the Sea who each had big scoring wins over the weekend.
Neptune were typically efficient and impressive in a 119-91 defeat of bottom of the table Queens in which Mario Mullen was top scorer on 34 points. Star won by an even greater margin 112-81 against Killester who lost Randall Mounts through a disqualification eight minutes into the second half.
The tall American was off the court and sitting on the bench when a tussle developed between Killester's Prentis Phillips and Star's John Leahy under the basket. Mounts left the side of the court to intervene and was immediately disqualified.
Elsewhere in the league Delta won in Sligo by 98 points to 93, despite playing with only one American Anthony Jenkins who scored 40 points. New signing Matt Thompson had to serve a one match suspension but will be in the team for the televised cup, quarter final with Marian next Friday.
Marian showed hat their victory over St Vincent's a week ago was no fluke as they won in Killarney on Saturday night 84-80. Kevin Ellery on 30 points and Jason Siemon on 23 were their top scorers.
In Division one there is a three way tie at the top of the table after wins for Dungannon, MSB and Ballina. Dungannon's 105-93 victory in Castleisland dropped the Kerry club out of the share of the lead.
In the Gateaux Women's Division One Wildcats won the big game of the weekend against Naomh Mhuire 80-65 in Waterford on Saturday night in spite of playing without the injured Gillian Hayes.
Naomh Mhuire led early on after an inspired sequence of scoring from Ursula Kyne who tallied 12 points in the first eight minutes.
However, two three pointers from Trish Nolan followed by a dominant spell from Michelle Maguire put Wildcats in front and strong defensive work in the second half kept them well ahead in the closing stages.
