Newcastle Eagles Embark On Fresh Winning Run
After a difficult start to February, Newcastle Eagles embarked on a fresh winning run to end the month well placed in the British Basketball League
With January having been set aside for the running of the BBL Trophy, the Eagles returned to league action for the first time since December with a home game against the London Lions at the Vertu Motors Arena.
Although the Lions edged the opening quarter of the game, the Eagles roared back in the second to go into half-time sitting level at 46:46. However after the break, the visitors were able to take control and having taken a 15 point lead in the third, would ultimately come away from the game with the points thanks to a 105:87 victory.
The Eagles then hit the road to visit Cheshire Phoenix, who were riding high on the back of a surprise victory in the BBL Trophy weeks earlier – having overcome London in the final.
Cheshire rocketed out of the blocks and at one stage in the first quarter, put eleven unanswered points on the board as they established a 29:17 lead. The Eagles came back in the second to reduce the deficit to five by half-time but Phoenix inflicted a second successive defeat on the Eagles by edging both the third and fourth quarters to take the victory 96:85.
Returning home for the ‘derby’ with Caledonia Gladiators, the Eagles were indebted to Rickey McGill as he backed a 30 point haul to help his side to an impressive win in front of a packed crowd.
The Eagles took a five point lead in the first and wouldn’t be headed from that point on, despite the Gladiators briefly hinting at a fightback after half time. The home side moved further clear in the fourth however, and were able to pass a century of points in the process as they wrapped up victory by 105:93.
Eager to try and break back into the top four in the table, the Manchester Giants were next and it was the league strugglers who took the lead in the first – at one stage leading by twelve before the Eagles battled back to reduce the deficit to seven. The away side then reduced the gap still further in the second quarter to end the half trailing by five points, but with momentum very much on their side.
A nine point swing in the third saw the Eagles hit the front and the visitors then dominated the fourth to take an ultimately comfortable victory 106:85.
That was the perfect way to set the team up for a crucial tie against Zastal Zielona Gora in the final group game in the European North Basketball League, with the Eagles in pole position to make it to the knock-out stages but with the Polish visitors knowing a win could see them make it through.
A tight start to the game saw the opening quarter shared before the Eagles edged four points clear heading into half-time, and they then outscored the visitors by ten in the third to extend the advantage.
Although the Poles battled back in the final quarter, they were unable to overturn the deficit as the Eagles soared into the knockout stage with an 86:80 victory to set up a two-legged quarter-final tie with Bakken Bears.
The month would round out with a long trip to face off with Plymouth City Patriots and a hard-fought win thanks to a stunning fourth quarter ensured that the Eagles would go into March sitting fourth in the table and comfortably in the play-off positions.
February Results:
- London Lions (H) – Lost 105:87
- Cheshire Phoenix (A) – Lost 96:85
- Caledonia Gladiators (H) – Won 105:93
- Manchester Giants (A) – Won 106:85
- ENEA Zastal BC Zielona Gora (H) – Won 86:80
- Plymouth City Patriots (A) – Won 92:80