Waterford's extraordinary run of success since the start of the season reached a new peak on Saturday night with their 106-76 dismissal of Dublin Bay Vikings, one of their principle pursuers, at the National Arena in Tallaght.
Vikings had been involved in a tie for second place prior to the game and would have gone joint top of the table had they won. Instead, they were thoroughly dismantled by a Waterford team that has now acquired the confidence to match their ability.
In one of the greatest combination displays in recent Irish basketball history, Eric Blair and Roscoe Patterson fed off each other superbly to score 79 points between them with Blair's 43point total easily the best individual performance of the weekend.
This one-time journeyman American has raised his performance level considerably since his arrival at Waterford and the consequent link-up with former Irish player of the year Patterson, who contributed 36 points on Saturday night in a win that was never in doubt from an early stage.
What had been a four-way pursuit of Waterford before the weekend's matches is now only a two-way share of second place as Vikings' and Neptune's defeat pushed them back to a share of fourth place.
The Killester bus broke down on its way to the Neptune Stadium on Saturday night and it took the Dubliners a while to settle as they trailed Neptune 4432 at half-time.
But a comeback spearheaded by Damon Shoultz and Mike Trimmer took Killester right back to trail by just a point (59-60) entering the final quarter during which the Corkmen had both Americans, Terry Smith and Shawn Wilson, fouled out with more than two minutes remaining. With Shoultz scoring 34 points and Trimmer adding 28, Killester finished strongly to secure a 93-87 victory.
Killester could well have been occupying second place on their own had Ryan House not saved reigning champions Star of the Sea from the very distinct prospect of defeat on their home court yesterday against Blue Demons.
Star led by 10 points at halftime but the Corkmen came back to lead by six with five minutes remaining. From there on it was basket for basket with House timing his tip-in for two points in the last few seconds to perfection for an 81-79 victory.
For Demons, it was a cruel end to what could have been a bumper weekend on their travels up north. On Saturday night they dominated the last quarter of the game in Dungannon to win 74-59 with new Spanish signing Paco de Benito scoring 21 points.
Dungannon, though, were in better form yesterday at Griffith Avenue where Trevor Smullen (28 pts) had a brilliant game for the Tyronemen in an 80-74 win over struggling Tolka Rovers.
Also on Dublin's northside yesterday, St Vincent's went 20points clear at half-time (59-39) against Killarney. They went on to control the game before winning 102-85 to repair some of the damage from their Friday night defeat against Tolka.
