Heat at Tigers 16 Dec’ 2011 (BBL press preview)
Mersey Tigers v Guildford HeatFriday 16 December 2011
Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park (19:30)
Two sides who need victories to move up the BBL Championship table meet at Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park on Friday evening as Mersey Tigers host Guildford Heat.
It’s a key game for both teams after difficult starts to the season. Reigning champions Tigers are ninth in the table with two wins from seven games, and went down 94-80 at home against high-flying Newcastle Eagles last week, while Heat will be hoping it’s lucky 13 after losing their first 12 games of the season in all competitions.
The game is a repeat of last season’s BBL Trophy final where a dominant second half performance at the O2 Arena saw Tigers run out 84-66 winners. Tony Garbelotto’s side also knocked the Heat out of the BBL Cup at the first stage last season and won two of the three Championship games between the teams.
Garbelotto won’t be taking the Heat lightly on Friday evening: “I have seen them on the TV game and was impressed with their play. The addition of Drew Lasker will obviously strengthen them in the long run. Their core British guys have experience and play hard in every game.
“It is tough to look past Mike Martin, Lasker and Martelle McLemore as their key players, but they have weapons all over the court now. They are much better than their record suggests. They have a strong line up and it was unfortunate that they have had injuries and a tough schedule to start the season. I for sure would not want to face them in the second half of the season.”
Tigers went down 94-80 against table-toppers Newcastle Eagles last week, and Garbelotto was impressed by the Eagles: “Newcastle were brutally efficient in every way possible. They play as hard as any team I have ever seen in the BBL. Saying this, their team is beatable and I felt that they were there to at least be challenged but we did just not step up to the task. Sixteen missed free throws, numerous missed lay ups and again a poor shooting performance are factors that will never get you in a position to beat a champion team.”
Garbelotto had little doubt who was Eagles’ most valuable player in the game: “Darius Defoe continues to come back and haunt me after I sent him to Newcastle all those years ago. Actually I am very proud of his performance. On that showing I doubt there are many better inside players in the league.”
Heat coach Creon Raftopoulos knows his side face a tough game as they look for their first win of the season: “I have not had a chance to watch Mersey play this season but know we will be in for a tough game on Friday night.
“Tony is a great coach and is doing an awesome job with his young team. One thing you know with any team he coaches is that they will be well drilled and will stick to running there sets for 40 minutes. We’re both not out to great starts and we know winning on the road is not easy in our league.”
Raftopoulos is the latest BBL coach to heap praise on Tigers’ young English forward Myles Hesson: “I’m a huge fan of young Myles Hesson and tried to sign him this season but Tony was lucky enough to sign him and I agree with Tony when he says Myles has the potential to be one of the top players in the BBL.
