Belfast Star entertain EJ Sligo All-Stars this weekend in La Salle after a long festive break which saw them in action only once – a decisive away win in Dublin over St Vincent’s a fortnight ago.

However, practice sessions have been intense over the Christmas period and coach, Adrian Fulton feels his side can now move forward with greater intensity and consistency.

That victory over Vincent’s marked a solid bounce-back from their first loss in this season’s Super League against Éanna, and Adrian Fulton’s charges chalked up an impressive 103-84 win on the road in the capital.

De’Ondre Jackson continued his sparkling form and totalled 34 points with Tamyrik Fields and Frenki Lilaj each landing 21 as Belfast won all four quarters despite a strong fightback from the hosts in the third.

The game saw a season’s best high performance from Albanian international Lilaj who impressed on both offence and defence. Fulton will be hoping for more of the same from the big man as Star face a tough schedule in this second half of the season with many sides having bolstered their squads. 

One of the few criticisms of Star’s barnstorming first half of the season has been a tendency to let their level of consistency drop on occasions, making their wins a little more hard-fought than they should have been.

Coach Fulton is keen to rectify that and hopes that the improved consistency he saw in Dublin against Vincent’s will prove to be a marker for the rest of the season.

“Our first objective now is to go ahead and secure victory in the Conference, ensuring home advantage in the quarter-finals of the playoffs,” he said. 

“The side have had a good break and are looking forward to the challenges ahead.”

Saturday evening’s game will mark a second return to La Salle this season for Star old-boy Shon Briggs who, having lost in Belfast with Neptune, will now return with his new side Sligo All-Stars. 

Star have already notched up a win against the Sligo side early in the season but will certainly be wary of the westerners’ threat, especially with Briggs on board. The game tips at 6.30pm in La Salle.