Garbelotto: We’re more exciting this year

Mersey Tigers coach Tony Garbelotto watched helplessly as his treble-winning squad was picked apart in the summer, but he believes the new squad he has put together consists of more exciting players.

As the club struggled with financial issues over the summer, they were powerless to retain the services of first Andrew Thomson (Newcastle) and then Nate Reinking (Sheffield), with Tafari Toney leaving to move to France too.

Later in the summer, James Jones (Plymouth) and Drew Sullivan (Leicester) moved on, denying Garbelotto the chance to create a dynasty and aim for a clean sweep this term.

Any chance of a clean sweep has been removed with early elimination in the BBL Trophy, but Garbelotto remains excited about the season ahead.

He told the Liverpool Echo: “As a coach, I was disappointed not to have the opportunity to bring back the group of players from last year that did the clean sweep. With the two or three young players I was adding I felt we would’ve been unbeatable.

“I’m excited about the three home grown players in the squad and I believe this will be a more entertaining group than last year.

“Last season we methodically picked teams apart but we have more exciting players this time.”

The Tigers host Cheshire Jets in their final BBL Trophy group game on Friday evening, their second game at their new Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park venue.