BBL: Helsby’s Devan Bailey seizes chance with revived Mersey Tigers

Oct 13 2011 by Alec Doyle, Chester Chronicle

AS he saw his long three-pointer drop in the fourth quarter at the Northgate Arena, Devan Bailey pumped his fist and let his emotions show through.

The 22-year-old from Helsby had come back to the UK one year early having left the Central Connecticut College to pursue a professional basketball career,

And until the Mersey Tigers signed him a last week, he had not found a club to take him.

“I was a little bit upset when I came back to England and I wasn’t really getting any attention,” he admitted. “So I just want to come out this year and prove that I can be a professional player, something I didn’t prove in college.”

If he keeps delivering performances like Sunday’s, he may turn out to be the one that got away for many clubs in the BBL.

He scored 18 points as the Tigers starting guard against the Jets and claimed six turnovers, spending less than six minutes on the bench.

The Tigers win over the Jets was unexpected after Sheffield Sharks mauled them on Friday, but Bailey said there was a siege mentality at the Tigers right now.

“We’ve got a great coach and a great chance this season,” said Bailey. “Everything’s possible, and we could be contenders but it’s a long season.”

“Against Sheffield we’d only been together two days but against the Jets, everyone knew their role and we put it all on the court.”