THE destiny of the BBL Cup could be decided by the respective benches.

Leicester Riders roll very deep – a 10-man rotation has been behind many of their victories this year – while Newcastle Eagles have a seven-man rotation.

The players coming on in the latter stages, especially if either team hits foul trouble, will be all important.

In Joe Ikhinmwin, the Eagles have a young player with the defensive skills which will make him vital to Fab Flournoy’s plans.

He is desperate for his chance to make an impact.

Ikhinmwin said: “One of the things I am trying to do is to put forward the effort and make sure when I do come off the bench and into the rotation something is immediately happening on the offensive and defensive end.

“I have an important role. I can only be excited to perform in a situation like this.

“I am amped up, I’m ready to go and I’m ready to help to bring the Cup home. This is why I wanted to be an Eagle, because they win.”

Having graduated from South Carolina State University last year Ikhinmwin has enjoyed his time as an Eagle, feeling it has been an excellent route into the professional game.

He added: “It was a good achievement for me, this being my first year out of college.

“I have come into a really good situation at Newcastle Eagles.

“Since I’ve been here we’ve been winning and it’s been a really good journey. It’s been a really good learning experience for me.

“The difference from college to playing professionally, especially with such a high-profile team, has been a great thing for me to do.”

MARK DOUGLAS