BBL Starting Five – Week 1
Our players of the week feature is back. Once again this season we bring you our BBL Starting Five every week with votes cast from guys who were courtside for the weekend’s games.
We’ve got beat writers for nearly all of the 12 teams that made it to the start line for the 2012/13 season, and each week they’ll tell you why they nominated who for the BBL Starting Five.
Dave Bell – Attended Sheffield Sharks v Leicester Riders
Gage Daye (Sheffield Sharks) Guard – Fraley clearly dominated the game as a whole. Daye was faced with a whole different set of circumstances. Shorn of his backcourt partner, Williams, the NBA D-leaguer proceeded to run the show for the Sharks in the hope that his team-mates would come to the party. Two steals, six rebounds, eight assists and fifteen points says that he did that albeit without any success in the final shake-up. Two neat lobs, a central drive to the basket and innumerable ‘look-away’ passes to open team-mates summed up a decent debut BBL performance. Fraley produced a game winning display. Daye carried the weight of an under-strength line-up and then some. More to come from this impressive young man for sure.
Darrin Smith attended Newcastle Eagles v Glasgow Rocks
Joe Chapman (Newcastle Eagles) Guard – The Eagles’ new Captain looked lean and mean, having shed 15lbs in the offseason. He is not taking his new role lightly and his first half performance against Rocks of 17 points put his side in a commanding position at the break. In a typically authoritative display, Joe drained shots from all around the perimeter finishing with a game high 23 points plus a healthy 8 rebounds. His determination and dedication to continued improvement on last year’s MVP season, means it would be a major surprise is he wasn’t in the mix for the same honour this term.
Juma Ngqobongwan – Attended Manchester Giants v London Lions
James Jones (Manchester Giants) Guard – The lefty gunner scored 29 points in such a variety of ways. He knocked down 3-pointers with laser sharp accuracy, he raced up the floor for layups in transition as well and crashed the offensive boards for tip in. His energy help to lead the team from the front when a few players seemed nervous in the early stages. He also played solid defence and finished up with a game high three steals.
Damian Cooper attended Worcester Wolves v Durham Wildcats
Mike Baldarelli (Durham Wildcats) Swingman – Baldarelli led the Durham scorers in another 82 point game for the Wildcats Sunday, but the north east side were handed defeat. He was the difference and the game winner however on the road at Wolves. With six from seven from 20 feet, he dealt the Wolves blow after blow to help the Wildcats to two points. The Assumption graduate averaged 75% from the floor on Saturday and can be very pleased with his BBL debut.
Darrin Smith attended Durham Wildcats v Glasgow Rocks
Gareth Murray (Glasgow Rocks) Forward – Birthday boy Gareth stepped up in both of the Rocks’ visits to North East England last weekend. Leading all scorers with 18 against Newcastle and 20 in Durham, the Scottish born forward was serenaded with several renditions of ‘Happy Birthday’ by the travelling band of Rocks fans in Newton Aycliffe. I hope he enjoyed his cake on the journey home to Glasgow. He earned it after those performances!
