COACH LEADS DEMONS TO CUP SUCCESS
2 February 2009
UCC Demons, Douglas Leichner, has made a huge impact since making the move to Ireland from the US.
Leichner has already made the headlines in Ireland after leading his club to a record fifth National Cup success.
To achieve the feat, they had to overcome reigning cup champions DART Killester and they duly obliged, winning 98-85 at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght.
Leichner has coached numerous players in his career who have played in either the NBA or in Europe and it is his player development ability that UCC Demons see as the key to their future success.
Leichner has spent the past 4 seasons at the University of Maine as assistant Coach and joined the University of Maine after spending seven seasons as a high school head coach in Florida.
In 1992, Leichner began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Naugatuck Valley Community Technical College in Waterbury, Conn. The team advanced to the NCAA Junior College Division II national tournament advancing to the Elite Eight. He also served as an assistant coach during the 1996-97 season at Division II Stonehill College.
He has worked at the Five-Star Basketball Camp and Adidas ABC All-Star Camp in Europe. He has been published in the Five-Star Basketball Coaches Playbook.
Leichner’s Cup Review
The UCC Demons won a thrilling Cup Championship 98-85 against DART Killester. Coach Mark Keenan did a fantastic job preparing the Killester side. The first period was a slow start for the Demons. Killester looked like they were made of steel. Offensively, Killester executed well and successfully cut “backdoor” against our defense. DART pushed it in transition, which led to easy scores. They were also shooting the ball with confidence.
The UCC Demons shook off the sluggish first period and were energized for the second quarter. We searched for a few player combinations and finally found one that suited us. We made some defensive adjustments, which helped us cut into the lead. Colin O’Reilly hit a transition 3, which swung the momentum in the Demons favor. Niall Murphy hit a big three also and finished the half with a layup to put us ahead two points. That was a big play for the Demons and gave us confidence.
We discussed at halftime how crucial the start of the third period would be to our success. The UCC Demons scored some early baskets led by Colin O’Reilly, Ryne Hamblet and Jerrah Young. Our emphasis on being “mentally tough” paid dividends during this stage of the game. The Demons were able to extend the lead into double digits and give us breathing room. The fourth quarter was a case of sticking to details and closing out the contest.
The Demons had contributions from many players. “Cup MVP” Colin O’Reilly was tremendous. He is one of the most talented players I have coached. Colin would not be denied and he seemed to be everywhere on the court. Jerrah Young provided a low post scoring threat and was huge controlling the boards. Many times during the game Jerrah grabbed the tough rebound or 50/50 ball. Jerrah also played very intelligently when saddled with two first half fouls. Ryne Hamblet played very aggressively. He kept Killester on their heels and attacked the rim with great success. Captain Shane Coughlan provided superior leadership. He hit a few huge 3’s to “break the back” of Killester. Niall O’Reilly defended really well. He also had a few crucial buckets to stem the tide of Killester. Our “Sixth Man” Niall Murphy defended well and has a knack of making a big play such as his 3 in the second period. Carlton Cuff was great at defending a very talented perimeter team.