Rowe making the best of his fresh start

Late last month, the Plymouth Raiders let a special player walk out of the door and sign for championship rivals Leicester Riders.

Since leaving the club he called home, Anthony Rowe has not looked back, posting averages of 20 points per game, to go along with 8 boards, all whilst shooting a phenomenal 70% from the floor.

A break out season of this kind is no surprise to those who have watched Rowe play over the past three seasons. The 26-year-old power forward has been one of the most consistent contributors in the league since he signed for his beloved home town team in 2009.

Rowe was one of the most stable and reliable figures at the club during times of great uncertainty and unprecedented personnel changes to the roster. The ability to adapt to such changes, which happened all to often at the start of Love’s reign in charge, spoke volumes of the growing maturity of the emerging star. He gave fans plenty of memorable performances in some highly entertaining basketball, and the decision to leave was certainly not an easy one to make.

“It definitely wasn’t a fairy tale ending when leaving Plymouth,” said Rowe, “which is sad, but I was only concerned about leaving on good terms with the fans and my team mates, those are the ones I played for and no one else’s opinions bothered me. It was an honour to captain the Plymouth Raiders and play in front of my city, I will treasure those times forever.”

And leaving on good terms is exactly what he did. In conversations with fans you will find no animosity toward Rowe over his decision to move on, instead you’ll hear nothing but praise for the local boy who done good, and frustration over the failings of those running the club to keep him.

Growing up, Rowe was somewhat under the radar as a junior. A lot of talented kids coming out of the junior ranks at the time shared his frustration of being ignored by the basketball community: “Playing basketball in Plymouth as a youngster was tough, we seemed to be so far away from the basketball capitals of England, but I was determined to do what very few people from down here succeed in.

“I feel very fortunate with the life basketball has given me. It has taken me to so many places, it has given me the opportunity to meet lots of great people and it has given me a fully paid education. It wasn’t all happy days and rays of sunshine, but the ups and downs of travelling the world and playing basketball is an experience that is simply priceless” concluded Rowe.

When asked about his new team, Rowe is enthusiastic about his early experiences as a Rider: “The structure of practice is very detailed and specialised, and always intense. The guys on our team only have one gear, and that’s to go hard! The atmosphere is great, good balance between concentrating and having fun. I am enjoying practice up here which is great, because sometimes practice can be dull.”

And can Leicester win a championship this year?

“Yes! You need players who can think team before themselves, and have a good relationship with one another. You need the backing of your directors, not just financially, but on all levels. You also need a coach who leads his soldiers into battle through thick and think. We have all those components. There is a real buzz around the club right now, its exciting times to be a Rider.”

And the transition from Raider to Rider?

“I feel like I’m fitting in quite well, and that’s down to the coaches and the players. They have been patient and made the whole transition pretty easy for me. Coach has just told me to be myself, and has given me the confidence to just play my game.”

Leicester didn’t need much patience, in his first game Rowe registered a double-double notching up 21 points and grabbing 12 boards. One of the few players who can dominate a game without stepping outside of the team ethos, Rowe has landed himself the perfect team. Leicester have a deadly balanced attack, they space the floor like Newcastle, and unlike the team Rowe just left, are deep enough to compensate for injuries.

Anthony has left a big hole behind him in Plymouth, and only time will tell if the faith placed in Barnett, Potter, and Williams to do his job will be rewarded, or whether this will go down as the biggest back-room blunder in the club’s professional history.