Smith – This is why I came back

As well as four winners medals, Charles Smith needs to find space for two MVP awards, as he admits “this is why I came back.”

Smith, 36, is one of the mainstays of a Newcastle team that has regularly picked up silverware for the past seven years, having first joined the club back in 1999.

His record-breaking performance in January’s BBL Cup Final victory over Plymouth was a stark contrast to the big defensive effort shown against Leicester on Saturday, but Smith still managed to top score with 21 points, to pick up his second MVP award of the season, and a shiny ball to take home.

He said: “It feels great. That’s the reason I came back, to win trophies, and we’ve got all of them.

“I wasn’t around for the last clean sweep as I missed the Cup final, but I came back determined to win, and that’s what we done.”

The Eagles stormed to the league championship, and had already picked up the BBL Cup and BBL Trophy titles before Saturday’s hard-fought 72-61 victory over the Riders.

Smith added: “We knew they were going to come out strong. We missed a lot of easy shots, and we gave away lots of turnovers, but once we took care of the ball and settled, we were OK.

“Our defence held them to 10 points in the second quarter, and I think that was key.”

It was a third play-off success for Smith, to add to the five BBL Championships, five BBL Trophy successes and the BBL Cup victories he has picked up with the Eagles.

Bar a two game spell at Scottish Rocks in 2005/06, Smith has spent his entire BBL career in Newcastle, since making his debut against Brighton Bears in September 1999, and he’s still hungry for more.

He added: “It’s always your goal to win. If we all come back, that’s what we plan on doing.”