NEWCASTLE Eagles boss Fab Flournoy has called upon his players to bring their Shark-fighting toughness to the court when they face the Lions at Sport Central tomorrow night.

Milton Keynes Lions will roll into town with the Eagles targeting them as their fourth successive BBL scalp this season and prolong their unbeaten start.

In their last outing, Flournoy’s men were involved in a titanic tussle with Sheffield Sharks at Sport Central but showed enough strength and resolve to bag their third league win in a row in a 85-80 victory.

Flournoy was delighted with how his players knuckled down and responded as the Sharks fronted up them after the Eagles had got off to a slow start.

After last week’s pulsating clash, the Lions might be some welcome late relief given their league position – but Flournoy is not having such talk despite his side being heavy favourites to win.

He said: “We haven’t seen Lions this year, their results have been up and down but we know how explosive their backcourt is from last year.

“Stefan Gill and Demarius Bolds are not guys you can take lightly. I don’t know why they have lost the games so comprehensively, but am sure that will be fuel for them coming up here to play against us.

“Sharks was, as we expected, a lot tougher the second time around. Our first half was probably as poor as we have played all season and only our interior defence kept us in the game.

“In the second half we managed to pick up the tempo and get a lead but even then we could not maintain it all the way to the end, and we allowed the Sharks – who to their credit never stopped competing – to come right back into it.

“For us Andy Thomson had a really solid game and when we needed a lift at half-time Joe Chapman came out and provided it. Also I was delighted that Ross Wilson had the confidence to step up and knock down a big shot with his first touch of the ball with only a minute to go.

“He has been struggling with knee tendonitis but when he gets healthy and is able to practise properly, we really hope to see him on court more.

Flournoy’s squad for this season looks to have gelled well so far and although Eagles have the option of signing an extra non-European Union player, the coach is content with what he has.

He added: “At the moment we are who we are. We are not actively looking to make additions but we do expect to have Charles (Smith) back soon, which will of course be like adding another player.”

Meanwhile, Milton Keynes Lions boss Mike New admits his men have a tough task on their hands – largely due to the Eagles’ ability to eek out a win from any situation.

He said: “I know that Newcastle have some really solid veterans in coach Fab, Charles Smith and Andrew Bridge, along with an outstanding shooter in Joe Chapman.

“They’ve added the big English kid, Andrew Thomson, who I had my eye on in the summer.

“They’re a bit banged up without Charles at the moment, but they’re finding a way to win. That’s important, it doesn’t matter if you win well or ugly, it’s the way you win that counts.

“Paul Gause has been playing well for them, and Thompson has been outstanding. Along with Charles, they’re probably their key players.”