Pre-season focus: MK Lions

As he begins his second year as head coach at Prestige Home MK Lions, Mike New has put together a new-look squad as his side aim to bounce back following their play-off miss last year.

Chicago born New spent four years as a player with the Lions, helping them to BBL Cup glory in 2008, before stepping in the coaching seat last season.

Lions fans will be delighted that New has managed to hold on to back-court duo Demarius Bolds and Stefan Gill. Bolds’ first year in the BBL saw him lead the BBL in steals at almost three per contest as well as averaging 21 points per game whilst shooting 41% from the three point line and dishing out over four assists per game.

Former EBL Division One MVP Gill was also a success in his debut BBL season as he finished the season with to 13.4 points, three rebounds, three assists whilst shooting 43% from the field and a very healthy 37% from the three point line. The 5’10” University of Bolton guard joined from Manchester Magic having also had a spell in the Danish top division averaging 10 points a game.

Power forward Howard Crawford in a new addition to the Lions’ roster, and New will be hoping that he can repeat his success at University of Alabama Birmingham where he led them to the NIT Elite Eight. At 6’9″ and 240lbs, the 23-year-old creates problems in the paint for any defender with his great footwork and ability to finish above the rim.  Crawford averaged 12 points per game and nearly five rebounds per outing whilst also shooting over 30% at the three point line and 47% from the field, and joins Lions after brief spells in Kuwait and Holland.

Also brining plenty of size to the Lions’ front court is 6’9″ power forward, Daniel Northern. A Graduate of Tennessee Tech, the 25-year-old was a key figure at both ends of the court, he averaged 13 points per game and his athleticism saw him grab nearly ten rebounds per outing and a very healthy three blocks per game. Following graduation, in 2008, Northern’s first pro experience was in LEB Gold in Spain where he did well averaging eight points and six boards per outing.

Adrien Sturt will be vying for court time with Crawford and Northern, after the 6’10” Australian/Brit joined from Essex Pirates. The under-23 GB International will enter his second BBL season having graduated from Snow University in the USA with whom he won the SWAC Conference Championships in 2007.  Sturt averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds per game last year, having a season-high 28 points against the Cheshire Jets and snaring 12 rebounds on two occasions. The athletic forward also won ABA Championships in Australia in 2008 as well as the Australian NBL Championship in 2009 with the Melbourne Tigers.

Small forward Carl Josey also joins having played junior basketball at Solent and East Durham before attending Kings Academy in Tennessee averaging 22ppg and 12rpg in both his years there. The 6’5″ Brit saw his college career at Virginia Military Institute blighted by injury with a broken hand and broken ankle hampering his development however a year’s pro experience in Iceland last year saw him average 12 points and seven rebounds per game.

Another new Brit to link up with MK is 21-year-old Nathan Schall. The 6’7″ forward won every title available at under-18 level with Manchester Magic in 2008 and helped their senior teams win the Division One player-offs in 2009-10 alongside Gill. An athletic forward, Schall also shoots the ball well.

Completing the Lions’ roster for the new season is Portuguese guard Nuno Pedroso who joins after a successful stint in Spain. The 6’2″ players stared in LEB in Spain where his team won the LEB Bronze before moving up to the next level, as well as the Proliga in Portugal where he has been a starter all his career and won the Championship in 2005, 2007 and 2011. Last season Nuno averaged 15 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game being named to the All Proliga second team.