Eagles' new blood stands the Heat

Mar 16 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

FROM doubts to dominance – Newcastle Eagles' rule over British basketball was re-affirmed after Fabolous Flournoy’s “new generation” secured the club’s ninth piece of silverware in five years.

Ranked below the league and play-offs in the end-of-season shake-up, the BBL Trophy may not be the biggest trinket up for grabs in British basketball – but this ruthless 83-71 victory over Guildford Heat could end up being one the most significant of Flournoy’s stint on Tyneside.

Blowing away any lingering question marks over the character of this season’s mix of prodigious rookie talent and hard-nosed experience, the Eagles sent a shuddering message to the rest of the BBL that the transition period is over and they are not ready to yield their ascendancy over the British game.

A breakneck third quarter, which the Eagles won 23-12, was the root of this excellent BBL Trophy victory – but it was their ruthlessness in the second half, so impressive considering the relative youth of their key players, which will have the rest of the league worried.

On a weekend when “coming of age” was the predominant sporting theme, perhaps it was apt that the Eagles’ “new blood” played such a big part in this excellent win.

But for all the energy of the outstanding point guard Reggie Jackson and the acrobatics of emerging star Tafari Toney, it was veteran Trey Moore who did most to steer the Eagles to victory.

Named the game’s Most Valuable Player, he contributed a crucial 28 points and a steady arm from the free throw line as the ghosts of last season’s defeat by the same opponents was comprehensively exorcised.

With captain Andrew Bridge and Flournoy himself making important contributions, it was the kind of afternoon when all the troubles and travails of those frustrating early months of the season seemed a long way away.

Hard as it was to picture after such an emphatic victory, it is only three months since managing director Paul Blake mused whether the Eagles’ ascendancy may be on the wane after a few stumbles in the league and Cup.

Not any more – if the Eagles can keep hold of the core of their squad beyond the end of this campaign, the trophy count could extend way beyond the “perfect 10” targeted by Flournoy and Blake when they teamed up to re-invent the franchise at the beginning of the decade.

“We’ve been transitioning for a couple of seasons but this has been a real jump. To win this is amazing,” Blake said afterwards.

“It was a bit disjointed last year – a few of the guys didn’t get on, which is no big secret I don’t think. But this team is a different kettle of fish: to a man they are rock solid and you could see it. We are building something here.”

They will have learned plenty from their first big final together – not least the wisdom of Flournoy’s game plan, which was executed to perfection, but also from a nervy ending as an experienced Heat side threatened to pull off a comeback.

At one point, after a huge three points from Keonta Howell, the score stood at 70-66 and the fired-up home crowd were applying the pressure to the Eagles.

But Bridge and the outstanding Moore made vital points to ease the Eagles home and notch the class of 2009’s first trophy. It is likely to be the first of many.

GUILDFORD HEAT 71 (21,42,54): Howell 30, Martin 12, Abu 9.

NEWCASTLE EAGLES 83 (17,39,62): Moore 28, Bridge 17, Jackson 13.