IF Newcastle Eagles are to retain their BBL Championship title this season it’s going to have to be won the hard way with intensive effort and finding ways to win through adversity.

Yesterday in Guildford was a classic example. Somehow, someway, Eagles dug out a huge win and went back to the top of the BBL table.

They were helped in no small way by the ‘Pocket Rocket’, Reggie Jackson, who drove, shot and wiled his way to a huge personal game high of 33 points to offset the loss of his backcourt partner Trey Moore who had to sit out the whole of the final period with an injured foot.

How badly the foot is injured remains to be seen but the pain may have been eased for Moore as he watched Jackson do what he himself has done on many occasions and lead the Eagles to a fabulous victory.

Jackson’s support came mainly from Charles Smith who was massive in the final stretch, with Darius Defoe also having a big second half to finish with a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. Smith also picked up a knock that had him sitting for a while before he came back to torment and torch the Heat.

All of this meant head coach Fab Flournoy, only recently restored to fitness, had to play the final ten minutes and it was his defensive intensity and presence that helped his players turn the game around after they had trailed for much of the first three quarters.

That said, there was little to choose between the two sides with no one managing to go in front by more than eight points at any stage, and that was only when the Eagles locked the game down late on.