BBL Championship: Mindgames intensify form Newcastle Eagles and Mersey Tigers ahead of crucial title weekend

Mar 17 2011 by Alec Doyle, Chester Chronicle

MERSEY Tigers coach Tony Garbelotto and Newcastle Eagles coach Fabulous Flournoy took slightly different tacks in the psychological battle before their important games against the Cheshire Jets.

Flournoy missed the Jets’ last trip to Newcastle due to illness and the Eagles lost influential guard Joe Chapman to an Achilles tear in the same game.

The Jets were still without Matt Schneck and while the Eagles won, Flournoy dismissed the result.

“The Jets are playing very well right now,” he said. “They have seamlessly reintegrated Schneck and have picked up where they left off in November. Last time we played we still had Joe and they were missing Schneck so this will be a totally new scenario.”

Meanwhile Garbelotto was more enamoured with the Jets, suggesting their ability to cope without Schneck singled them out.

“Everything I have seen tells me that this is a talented group of players that is very resilient,” he said.

“I doubt any top team could have lost one of their best players (Schneck) for the length of time they did and still be in the chase for the title.

“I think that Greer is playing some of his best basketball but you cannot look past Gareth Murray. He has been great for them all season. I’m not sure earlier games will mean much. They were without Schneck and we were without Nate Reinking.”