Basket Ball: Defeat gave us jolt we needed

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 27, 2008

Byline: By PAUL NILSEN

FAB Flournoy believes that the end of the 21-game winning streak at home was the kick up the backside needed in their charge towards another BBL title.

The Eagles bounced back from that disappointment on Friday with a devastating display of power in the 108-88 win over Worcester 24 hours later.

"We came out against Sheffield and we just weren't ourselves," said Flournoy. "I guess we just took them lightly and didn't play the kind of defence that we needed.

"It was a quick turnaround for Worcester and we came out and made a statement from the outset defensively.

"We were consistently better across the game and we have to learn to have the discipline to do it for the whole game and not just in spurts.

"The league is stronger all the way round.

"I think it is very much a kick up the behind for us, and to be honest it has to happen to us every year to get us going and to make sure we sharpen our focus.

"The only difference this season is that it has happened a bit differently in that we got the kick after we had gone down to Plymouth and won by 20 points doing the right things.

"Losing to Sheffield hurt us because we lost our home record, but it did let us know that we are still not near where we need to be and that we have to take nothing for granted.

"We put what we have learned from that harsh lesson into the game with Worcester and all of a sudden we can see what a difference it makes.

"We still have a whole lot to prove to ourselves because until we put everything in place on a consistent basis, we will continue to be vulnerable to other teams wanting to take our scalp just because we are the Eagles and there to be shot down."

It was certainly a statement game for Flournoy and the club. The New Yorker always refers to 'blood in the water' after a defeat, which was particularly apt after the defeat to the Sharks.

He has always maintained that when the rest of the league smells blood, the best reaction is to show them it was only a blip.

His players did that in quite ruthless fashion, putting Worcester to bed early after building up a double-figure lead inside five minutes. It was an astonishing defensive effort which resulted in 35 points from Wolves turnovers as the home side crumbled.

The Eagles also repaid their magnificent away following who turned out in numbers despite the 450-mile round trip by turning on the style. Seven players reached double digits and most heartening of all was the contribution from the bench.

Not only did Charles Smith claim 17 points but Tafari 'Big Tap' Toney was immense, playing his best game in an Eagles vest, while youngster Jamie Glen managed a score in the last minute to round things off perfectly.

Newcastle: Smith 17, Moore 16, Stewart 15. Worcester: Paez 30, Brown 22.

CAPTION(S):

HIGH FLIER: Darius Defoe is up against it as he finds two Wolves players trying to block his shot