Eagles Aim to Soar After Tough Month

The Newcastle Eagles will hope that November provides improved fortune on the court after the Vertu Motors-backed side endured a tough month in the British Basketball League.

The most successful team in series history had kicked off the new season with a comeback win at home to the Sheffield Sharks at the Vertu Motors Arena and then produced a storming final quarter away to the Bristol Flyers to secure a narrow victory.

Although the Cheshire Phoenix then won at the Vertu Motors Arena to inflict a first defeat of the season on the Eagles, the team headed into October looking to maintain a solid start to the campaign whilst also embarking on a programme in the European North Basketball League with a trip to Lithuania to face BC Siauliai.

That game would end in a narrow 94:92 defeat and the new-look Eagles team then slipped to a third successive loss when Leicester Riders came from behind to win the game in the fourth quarter.

After another defeat at the hands of Sheffield Sharks, the Eagles headed for the capital to take on unbeaten league leaders London Lions and came close to securing a fine win before the match went to overtime – with London emerging on top 109:104.

Ricky McGill proved to be the star man as the winless run came to an end with the second fixture of the season against Leicester, bagging 31 points as the Eagles battled hard to take the win 95:90.

Defeats to both Bristol and London meant that the Eagles headed into November seventh in the standings but there was a positive end to the month with a hard-fought 87:81 victory over Basket Brno getting the team off the mark in the ENBL.

October Results: