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Just two days later, the Rocks return home for another BBL Trophy contest on Sunday against Everton Tigers, whom the Braehead side have defeated twice this season in League play.
Rocks player/coach Sterling Davis gave his squad a 10-day break for Christmas, but says they have returned rested and ready to roll.
“Its been good to get back in the swing of things for the second half of the season. We all got a chance to go home and be with family on Christmas which always revives you.
“Now we have to get our focus back for a tough month coming up. With four Trophy games against two opponents, it will take a lot of concentration and determination on our part. We’ve have had some good practices since our return so I’m confident we’ll be prepared.”
As most BBL fans know, the Rocks-Eagles rivalry is one of the best in sport. In three head-to-head match-ups this season, the Rocks have scored more points, but the Eagles were twice victorious including a double-overtime thriller at Braehead in October and December’s BBL Cup semi-final at Crawley’s K2 Arena.
“That was a strange game,” said Davis of the Crawley game. “The atmosphere was very different since it was a neutral venue, so we didn’t have the usual crowd intensity to feed on. It was a big crowd, but just different.”
However, Davis says responsibility for the result lies fully with he and the rest of the squad.
“We simply didn’t shoot the ball well enough. It wasn’t our best defensive game either, but we just didn’t put the ball in the hole.”
Although a sizable travelling support from Rocks fans is likely, Friday’s crowd at Newcastle’s MetroRadio Arena will undoubtedly be very pro-Eagles… and up to Davis’ expectations. Hopefully the Rocks performance will be too.
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Posted on 03 January, 2008
