NEWCASTLE Eagles player-coach Fab Flournoy has warned under-performing star Darius Defoe the pressure on him until the end of the season will be relentless.
Flournoy delivered a rare public rebuke to the team’s ‘big man’ in The Journal last week – and admits he was only partly satisfied with Defoe’s low-key response in the hard-fought defeat of the Worcester Wolves a week ago.
He wants “much, much more” from the promising forward between now and the end of the campaign, starting with tonight’s crucial title clash against third-placed Cheshire Jets (tip off, 7.30pm).
Fournoy said: “Darius is in a pressure situation.
“I am holding him accountable for what happens to us between now and the end of the season and he knows that.
“We have not had a main post player who is dominant since Lynard Stewart left and it is up to Darius to provide that for us.
“I have had him since he was 18 and he is 24 now – it is time for him to deliver.
“Every other ‘big man’ in the league is averaging a double double but our big man is not. There are no excuses for that.
“(Justin) Dobbins at Worcester is on 22-11, the MK Lions big guy is on 21-11. Darius should be on the same.
“The last game was by no means great for Darius but he was much, much improved.
“His movement was better and his shooting was better – he hit five from ten field goals, although there were one or two bogus fouls at the start of the game.
“He did not play at the end because Kadiri Richard was playing so well.
“Now it is up to Darius to force the minutes with better performances.”
Again, Flournoy sees Defoe as a pivotal player against a Jets side which is one of four teams level on points at the top of the BBL.
They welcome back key men Matt Schneck and Quemont Greer for a match with potentially far-reaching consequences for the title race.
Flournoym added: “We beat Cheshire at home last time, but two of their bigger guys were out and we had Joe (Chapman) then. The time before, at Cheshire, Darius got pushed around by Schneck and out shot by him. He cannot t let that happen again.”
As well as improvement in Defoe, Flournoy also wants a more intense defensive performance by his side after feeling let down by a sloppy final quarter against the Wolves.
That will be crucial as the Eagles begin a hectic period with a tough-looking double-header against the Jets before travelling to Plymouth Raiders on Sunday.
After stepping up his comeback bid this week, the player-coach should be back to boost the defensive side of things before long.
He added: “Every day I am stronger, every day I am faster.
“It is just a day-by-day process. I have been in the gym every other day and working on my core fitness relentlessly to get myself back.
“There is the chance of relapsing, which I don’t want to do so I have to take it steady.
“Then there is also what happened in my last game against Mersey Tigers. I feel like I lost the balance between coaching and playing and I don’t want that to happen again.”
