Glasgow Rocks player/coach Sterling Davis has revealed that he is aiming for his team to finish in the top four of the BBL Championship come the end of the season.
The Rocks, hampered over recent months by injuries to three of their first choice starting five, currently occupy fourth place in the Championship table with fourteen points, but have played five more games than the teams either side of them.
“Our expectations [for the rest of the season] are to continue to get better,” said Davis. “I just want us to continue to improve and win as many games as possible.”
But pressed on his aims for the season, he revealed, “I want to be in the top four at the end of the season, definitely. But taking steps before that I want to get these guys healthy, including myself. We’ve all got to get back and get our chemistry back together.”
The Rocks have been without veteran point guard EJ Harrison since early November on account of a severely sprained ankle, and have had early season MVP candidate Mychal Green struggling with knocks to his hip, knee and thumb. Davis himself also tore an MCL in his knee at the end of December, which could keep him out until February.
“The biggest thing I’m dealing with right now is the fact we have so many injuries,” Davis said. “It throws a dampener on everything that you’re doing – it’s hard to make those adjustments on a day-to-day basis in practice and then in the game situations too. It’s frustrating because you know what type of team you have and what you’ve put together. It’s pretty normal, it happens in sports – but it’s difficult to deal with.”
Despite the demanding circumstances the Rocks have faced in the first half of the season, Davis remains pleased with his team’s performances thus far.
“We’ve done a great job. I think we’ve exceeded expectations of mine wholeheartedly throughout the course of the season, injuries or no injuries. But the fact that I’ve seen what potential we have and what we can do it’s really been gratifying to see we’ve responded the way we have done up to this point. I’m happy with it.”
The Rocks face Mersey Tigers on Sunday after almost two weeks off, but it is likely that Davis will once again be prowling the touchline in a suit, rather than playing – something that hasn’t bothered him as much as you’d think. “[Watching from the sidelines] hasn’t been something I’ve minded – it’s been good to see it from a different view,” Davis said.
