Basketball: Eagles destiny will be decided in weeks

Mar 20 2011 by Mark Douglas, Sunday Sun

FAB FLOURNOY believes the destiny of the closest BBL title ever will be decided in the next fortnight.

His Newcastle Eagles are at home to court specialists Plymouth Raiders this afternoon looking to build on Friday’s thrilling and pivotal defeat of title rivals Cheshire Jets, before a quick turnaround to face favourites Mersey Tigers at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Tuesday.

That forms the first part of an incredible run of seven games in the next 13 days, an “NBA-style” schedule that Flournoy reckons will make or break his class of 2011.

And while he knows it will be tough down in Devon, with just one win separating four teams locked at the top of the table the Eagles player-coach is well aware that any slip ups will be punished mercilessly.

“The season finishes is about a month but I think we’ll know who is going to win the title by the end of the next fortnight,” he said. “Friday was an incredible game of basketball and a brilliant win but that is behind us now. We’re done with the Cheshire Jets in the league now and we have the head-to-head advantage to take into the end of the season, which is really important.

“But that is just one game and we have a long stretch of games that will decide whether we’re going to be champions or not. If we concentrate on that one, or start to look at Mersey again we could get caught out.

“Plymouth are a good basketball team and they are particularly strong at home so we have to be at our best again and stay focused throughout. I have told the guys that one loss now means that all the hard work they put in when I was out is just wasted. It is a big and important stage of the season - this is another must win basketball game and we have to approach it as such.”

Flournoy will leave it late to decide whether to thrust himself back into action today, having made a somewhat reluctant return with a nine minute cameo on Friday. The player-coach was forced back onto the court by Charles Smith picking up a couple of early personal fouls and admits he struggled at first to regain the intensity of his game.

The team set off for the south west yesterday so they could be sufficiently rested for the Raiders contest.

But with that big game in Liverpool looming large on the horizon on Tuesday, Flournoy admits he is undecided about whether to play in Plymouth.

“Friday was a calculated risk. When Charles got into foul trouble we were short on numbers so I played about 10 minutes,” he said. “It was nerve wracking. It felt like my first basketball game all over again and coming off the bench is something very different to what I’ve been doing in the gym recently.

“As soon as you step onto the court you’ve got to be 100%, you can’t play at half intensity. My chest was burning at first but I felt OK by the end.

“I will just wait and see about playing more minutes in the next couple of games. I have to be right and it will be up to me and coach Forrester, who will be watching me and assessing the risk.”