Rocks at Eagles – BBL Championship preview

Friday 21 September 2012

Newcastle Eagles v Glasgow Rocks

Newcastle Eagles welcome traditional rivals Glasgow Rocks to Sport Central on Friday for the BBL season opener which can’t come soon enough for Flournoy’s men.

The reigning BBL Champions have five new faces in their ten-man roster, but it is the core of five returning players that makes them an anomaly in the topsy-turvy world of the BBL. That inspirational player/coach Fab Flournoy, League MVP and new club captain Joe Chapman, talisman and BBL legend Charles Smith, underrated centre Darius Defoe and squad man Joel Madourie have all been welcomed back into the fold is enough to send a shudder down the spine of opposition coaches.

Flournoy is delighted to add to this already potent mix the true point guard in Damon Huffman that the club have been searching for since hall of famer TJ Walker’s departure and a more than adequate back up in speedy BBL veteran Ant Martin who joins from Plymouth Raiders. If this new backcourt duo lives up to expectations, the departures of fans’ favourite Paul Gause and former captain Andrew Bridge will soon be forgotten. Brown University graduate Huffman has been coveted by the Eagles’ hierarchy since catching their eye at the Basketball Days tournament in Holland during the mid season festive break, picking up the MVP award whilst playing for Zwolle.

One man with particularly big boots to fill is another Ivy League man, Kareem Maddox who also joins from Dutch outfit Zwolle. The ex- Princeton power forward replaces British big man Andy Thomson in the Eagles starting five. Thomson’s departure for La Rochelle in France was a big blow to club officials and fans but hopes are high that Maddox can prove a more than adequate replacement. The squad is completed by 6-11 ex-Tees Valley Mohawk Theo Turner and highly rated Eagles development point guard Eddie Matthew.

New boys Kareem Maddox (knee) and Damon Huffman (groin) have shaken off their minor knocks and the Newcastle Eagles will take to the Sport Central court on Friday at full strength.

Looking for their first piece of BBL silverware since 2002/03, Glasgow Rocks travel to Newcastle for what has become almost a traditional season opening fixture. The visitors can boast a healthy compliment of returning stars in player/coach Sterling Davis, veteran guard EJ Harrison, Andrew Wedemire and Gareth Murray plus back up player Jonny Bunyan. Another familiar returning face is ex-Rocks man Brice Fantazia so the Glasgow club doesn’t lack BBL experience in their first season in their new Commonwealth Arena home.

The squad is bolstered by two major summer acquisitions. Ex- Rogers State University man Meneptha Darden, a 6’9 centre has been brought in to replace the disappointing DeAundre Cranston. During his college years, Darden was well regarded as a big time shot blocker and rebounder, facets of the game that will go a long way in cementing Coach Davis’ lockdown defensive strategies for the forthcoming season.

Rocks have added some extra length and talent to their backcourt too with the acquisition of Donald Robinson. Robinson will be coming off a successful 2011/12 season with West Virginia Tech, where he averaged 15ppg and 2.5 apg. The 6’4” athletic guard will have big shoes to fill as he effectively replaces last season’s stand out player Mychal Green, who recently signed with AS Soleuvre in Luxemburg.