Jordan Blount looking to drive on after finally returning home to Cork with Neptune

Jordan Blount is finally back in Cork after spending over 10 years playing basketball abroad.

He is returning to Neptune, the side he left just after his junior cert to see how far he could go in the game. His journey took him to Plymouth Raiders Youth in the UK, before a move to Gran Canaria.

"I had the option to go to Real Madrid at that time but chose to go to the academy because I had goals of playing in the States," Blount says at the launch of the InsureMyVan.ie Men's National League.

"I went to the States for five years, was in Cleveland, Chicago, got my degree, played at the highest possible level over there. Then I turned professional in the last couple of years and played in different places; Spain, Iceland

"It's been a long journey."

Neptune are the most successful club in the men's game in Ireland, but their last league title came nearly 20 years ago in 2003. They'll open up their new season with a derby against Cork rivals UCC Demons.

Tom O'Sullivan was recently elected chair of the club, with Paul Barrett moving on after 10 years in the role.

That formed part of the reason for Blount to move back to Ireland, but his personal circumstances also changed in the last few months.

"I got married this summer and I didn't want to keep jumping from country to country," he says

"I've been abroad for 11 years now. I left so young that I never got to play at the highest level with Neptune, my home club. With the changeover of ownership and the new plans, and everything that's happening, it's a great time to be part of the club, they're doing a lot of really good stuff."

Blount has been a regular in the Ireland team over the last few years, and he was involved in the EuroBasket qualifiers in the summer.

Things didn't go to plan as