REGGIE Jackson has revealed he nearly signed for Sheffield Sharks and Glasgow Rocks before returning to Newcastle Eagles.
Jackson returned to Tyneside to replace the injured Joe Chapman last month and is desperate to make an impact in what is developing into the tightest title race for years.
The loss of sharp shooter Chapman to an Achilles injury and player-coach Fab Flournoy to illness disrupted the Eagles’ title charge but close rivals Mersey Tigers also slipped up over the weekend – allowing Cheshire Jets, Sheffield and Glasgow all to move within touching distance of top spot.
But comeback kid Jackson admits he could have been racking up the points for the Eagles’ northern rivals if things had turned out differently.
“I’m happy to be back – I’m delighted to be back in the Newcastle Eagles family,” he said.
“Newcastle has the best fans in the league and you develop a personal relationship with them when you play here. It is definitely good to be back here.
“I wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t get the call in the summer because to be honest I wanted to go to a different country and have a different experience. I went to a European summer league camp in Las Vegas and there was a lot of interest in me but it didn’t work out.
“I was talking to Atiba (Lyons) at Sheffield and I talked to the Rocks as well and they both made me good offers but I wanted to wait and see if anything was going to happen in Europe.
“But it’s a bad market so I was still a free agent – and when Newcastle came in I wanted to come back here.
“I had to think about it, I can’t lie but now I’m here I know I made the right decision.
“Well, apart from the weather – it’s 75 degrees in (hometown) Georgia. I was wearing shorts when I got on the plane to come over here but it’s like the middle of winter in Newcastle!”
Jackson’s arrival could prove timely for the Eagles as they hit the finishing straight in a five-way chase for the BBL title.
He had only been in the country a few hours before being pitched into battles against Sheffield and Leicester a fortnight ago and while the Eagles were beaten in both, Jackson played well. He knows this will be a tense period for the Eagles.
“It is really, really tight this year,” he said.
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard that Plymouth beat the Mersey Tigers last weekend.
“When I was here before there were really a lot of games where you knew you were going to win.
“It was rare that a team from low down in the league would beat the Eagles but this year it seems like there are no guaranteed wins.
“That is a good thing for the league and to be honest I think it is a good thing for the Eagles as well. Hopefully it will help to keep us on our toes.”
The move also gives Jackson an opportunity to link up again with Trey Moore – a partnership that operated to outstanding effect during their first year together at the Eagles.
And while Jackson asserts that he is happy to play more of an offensive role, he envisages mixing point guard and two guard duties during his three month stay on Tyneside.
“I can get on the ball and take some of that pressure off Trey if I need him to,” he said.
“But I’m happy to play two guard as well. I like both of those positions so it won’t be a problem for me.”
