FABULOUS Flournoy has demanded his Newcastle Eagles team repeat their fast start of last week to give them the best possible chance of improving on a surprisingly poor British Basketball League Cup record.
The perfectionist player-coach has been unhappy with how sluggish his team have been out of the blocks at Sport Central this season, but in the first leg of their semi-final against Leicester Riders, the bulk of the work was done early.
The visitors built a 21-point, then sat back on it to the point where the teams tip off tonight level at 90-90.
“The key is getting off to a good start,” stressed the New Yorker. “We did this last Saturday and if it wasn’t for that we could have been in trouble.
“It’s fair to say we haven’t started well in games at home so far this season, so that needs to change. We also have to stay out of foul trouble, that’s a key for us.
“We also need to do a better job on Riders guard Brad Wiezerbicki this week, although Riders have strength in depth also.
“Rob Paternostro has done a great job in terms of recruitment and orchestrating the Riders, with the bonus of Andrew Sullivan now committing for the whole season. Like us I think this is possibly the best ever start they have had to a season in BBL.
“I’m excited to be playing the second leg at home, with no positive or negative psychological factor – we win and we go through, simple.”
Flournoy and his Eagles have dominated British basketball, lifting 12 trophies in seven seasons. Amazingly, only one has come in the season’s first final, which they have reached twice. “It’s been six years since the Eagles last won the BBL Cup and I’ve only won this one once in 15 seasons,” the former Birmingham and Sheffield guard pointed out.
“So I’m really motivated to get this one again!”
Newcastle and Leicester are both 100% in the league this season and tonight’s game is not the be-all and end-all for Flournoy .
“We have a tough second game over the weekend against (Glasgow) Rocks away (on Sunday) in the league. If we lose that Riders would overtake us at the top of the table so it’s really all to play for!”
