A PLACE in the BBL Championship playoff semi-finals awaits the Cheshire Jets this weekend if they can once again tame fierce rivals Everton Tigers.
Sunday’s do-or-die clash at the Northgate Arena will be the fourth encounter between the two teams this season, who finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Jets go into Sunday’s showdown on the back of three consecutive victories, against Plymouth, London and Essex, but coach Paul Smith knows that matches against Everton are among the toughest in the BBL.
Jets have taken the bragging rights home from two of the three games played so far but with Everton winning the most recent fixture, Smith knows that his side need all the support they can get.
He said: “The team are playing really well at the moment and although the sides we played last weekend were from towards the bottom of the table, they really play hard. But we are on form and have won something like 10 of our last 12.
“The Everton game is a huge game for us. We knew if we got the wins then it would be either Everton or Leicester and we are happy it is Everton.
“There should be a huge crowd packed into the Northgate and I hope the fans will be banging the drum as loud as they can. It should be a great atmosphere.
“It will be a tough game. Each of the three times we have played them it has gone down to the wire but we are looking forward to it.
“We should have one of the strongest teams out that we have had for a long time. Some of the team have had knocks but they have played through them. They are fit and looking forward to Sunday.”
Sunday could see fans’ favourite James Hamilton return to action after battling with a shoulder injury while free-scoring Chez Marks (see page 76) is also expected to be fit.
The Tigers have also sharpened their teeth of late with victories over Essex Pirates and Glasgow Rocks. The Liverpool club also boast the talents of former Jets star duo Trey Moore and Ola Babalola.
Smith added: “Babalola is playing very well at the moment, we have to be wary of Trey and we know what he can do.
“But I’ve watched them a lot recently and they are playing well as a team now so we can’t afford to go to sleep on anybody.”
Tip-off at the Northgate on Sunday will be at the later time of 6.30pm, rather than 5.30pm.
