FAB Flournoy had called for new blood to rise in the run up to this testing examination of their BBL title credentials but it was old hands Trey Moore and Charles Smith who steered Newcastle Eagles to victory which keeps them at the top of the table.
Peerless point guard Moore contributed 29 points while Smith, not quite as accurate as normal from range, put on 21 to help the Eagles to an 89-77 win over Worcester Wolves, who can probably now count themselves out of the title race.
Power forward Darius Defoe - the subject of Flournoy’s pre-game clarion call for more consistency - was better but not quite equal to his early season form, adding 13 points of his own during an up and down evening.
But overall the returning Flournoy would have been satisfied with a decent defensive effort from his side that kept Worcester at arm’s length for much of the contest.
He has called for defensive hustle from his senior men and there could be few complaints on that front – even if Worcester made sure it was a difficult evening’s work.
Indeed the Eagles were handed a stiffer test than perhaps they would have anticipated against the Wolves, who may prove a decent outside bet in the play-offs if they maintain this level of performance.
Newcastle rushed out of the blocks in the first quarter, racing into a 22-10 lead that owed much to the style of Smith and the quick thinking of Reggie Jackson and partner-in-crime Moore.
Flournoy was rotating sensibly to keep things fresh and the Eagles were simply too quick and too clever for their shell-shocked visitors.
But if they had expected the Wolves to whimper after that fine start, they were mistaken. Fired on by 6 ft 7ins forward Sam Cricelli they edged a scintillating second quarter by 22-20 with a 10-point run that kept the BBL champions on their toes.
The Eagles came back into it towards the end of the half and scores from Andrew Bridge and a neat Jackson lay-up kept them in front going into the interval.
Ultimately this game was settled in a high-octane third stanza that showcased many of the reasons why the Eagles will be so hard to budge in the title run-in.
“Action” Jackson’s energy is key but it is Moore – by far the most consistent player in the league – who poses all the problems for the opposition. He drained a couple of threes to keep Worcester on the back seat and with Kadiri Richard hitting top gear it was a classy quarter from the Eagles.
There was time for some late resistance from Worcester, who went on a five point run in the final quarter to get within touching distance of the Eagles. But the home side had the final say with Jackson adding more late points to help them retain that all important top spot.
NEWCASTLE EAGLES: (Moore 29, Smith 21, Jackson 17)
WORCESTER: (Crechelli 21, Middleton 13, Dobbins 13)
