Eagles soar to new heights in easy win

Mar 21 2009 The Journal

WHEN the Newcastle Eagles comprehensively beat Cheshire Jets in Warrington back in January, it sparked the Jets into a great run that saw Paul Smith win the February BBL Coach of the Month Award, writes JEFF KING.

So the Eagles could have been thinking that the Jets would arrive on Tyneside last night in confident mood and looking for revenge.

But nothing could have been further from the truth as Fab Flournoy’s well-oiled machine continues to roll smoothly on, and the Eagles retained their lead at the top of the BBL table with yet another comfortable, well-constructed win.

And there was the added bonus of seeing last season’s MVP Lynard Stewart return to the court following his recent minor knee surgery.

Stewart was understandably still some way short of match sharpness, but his presence in the Eagles line-up is a sign that Newcastle are really starting to focus in on the vital coming weeks in the championship race.

Before the game, Flournoy was able to show off the BBL Trophy, won last weekend, to the Eagles’ faithful.

Once again, with tomorrow’s tough trip to Milton Keynes on the horizon, Flournoy was able to run his bench and give all his senior players rests during the game.

None more so than Trophy final MVP Trey Moore, who had one of his quietest games of the season against his old club.

The Eagles were led by Darius Defoe, who included 16 huge first-quarter points on his way to a top score of 22 points.

Significant support came from Reggie Jackson, Charles Smith and Skipper Andrew Bridge, who all got into double figures during the game.

It was Bridge who got the Eagles under way as they made a quick start to be 9-2 in front early in the first, and from there they poured on the pressure and the points, led by Defoe, and were 28-13 in front by the end of the first 10 minutes.

Big runs of 11-2 and 13-3 put the Eagles well out of sight in the second as they went 27 points ahead at 52-25, although Cheshire scored the last basket to make it 52-27 at the half.

Defoe didn’t score in that second period but good shooting from Jackson, Smith, Moore and Bridge were the key to the Eagles’ lead.

With the game dead as a contest, Newcastle eased off in the third and Jets managed to close the gap slightly, getting it down to 18 points, but they were never in danger of troubling the Eagles for the league points.

The Jets also managed to win the final quarter, too, giving the scoreline a slightly flattering look, with Alto Virgil hitting three late triples to end up as the game’s top scorer.

But for Flournoy the last 10 minutes was all about getting the Eagles bench on court to once again give them valuable game minutes as Newcastle comfortably took another important win.

NEWCASTLE SCORERS: Darius Defoe 22, Reggie Jackson 15, Charles Smith 13.

CHESHIRE SCORERS : Alto Virgil 27, Frank Phifer 19, Steven Gayle 9.