A POINT hasn’t been scored in anger yet this season but Fab Flournoy is adamant that October will be a vital month in the BBL title race.
After a winning start to their Trophy campaign, Flournoy’s Newcastle Eagles open their league season with a home match against heavily fancied Guildford Heat on Friday before a double header against favourites Sheffield Sharks before the end of the month.
It is a seriously treacherous opening salvo of games for the Eagles, who are traditionally slow starters.
Flournoy is wary of writing off the rest of their rivals, but believes those three games could have a major bearing on the destination of the silverware this term.
Such a tough start is part of the reason why the Eagles were running so many unorthodox plays against Durham Wildcats on Friday – because Flournoy wants his side to be up to scratch when the big tests come rolling in.
He said: “I don’t want to call out the season so early but the next two weeks could have a big impact on us and the league title race.
“I know the season won’t be won or last by what happens in October but it sets a platform and sets the season up depending on what we do in the games against Guildford and Sheffield.
“In particular I am looking at the head to head with Sheffield, the home and away game before the end of the month, and that puts a very different complexion on things. It is very rare to have those head to heads so early in the season and we need to be ready for it because that could have a major bearing on us.
