Worcester Wolves face games on consecutive nights this weekend as they get back into BBL Championship action.
On Friday (tip off 7.30pm) the Wolves will travel to top of the table Newcastle Eagles, before returning to the University of Worcester on Saturday evening (tip off 7pm) to take on the Glasgow Rocks.
Newcastle have won all eight of their matches in the BBL this season, whilst Wolves lie in second place in the table with a 6-2 record.
Eagles’ player-coach Fab Flournoy expects his side’s toughest game of the season so far: “We haven’t seen the Wolves live but they have had plenty of exposure on television.
“They are an extremely well drilled group and they noticeably have excellent chemistry. Paul James has brought in two quality US rookies in Tommy Freeman and Richie Gordon, added a veteran point guard in Sherrad Prezzie-Blue, and some European toughness with Carlos Fernandez and Arnas Kazlauskas. They are an excellent unit.”
Flournoy’s team continued their excellent start to the season last Friday with a comfortable 94-80 win at Mersey Tigers, and the Eagles’ coach was satisfied with the win against the side who denied them the regular season title last year:
“Mersey was a game which we always felt we were in control of after we got off to a quick start. Paul Gause was really back to his start of season form, and Darius Defoe took advantage inside and finished well around the rim.”
Wolves’ coach Paul James is a big admirer of the Eagles’ team: “Looking at Newcastle you just run out of words to describe their dominance over years. This season is no different; they are the team to beat. They have the continuity of having Fab as their leader and inspiration and Chapman, Defoe and Smith give them good stability. Add to this mix Andrew Thomson and Paul Gause, and then you have a very talented team.
“Newcastle always plays hard and makes it tough for the opposition to execute their game plan. We are going to have to try to match this and more.”
