For the second time this season, Sterling Davis of the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks has won the Molten Coach of the Month Award after the Rocks surged up the BBL Championship table and came agonisingly close to progressing in the BBL Trophy in January.
A humble Davis commented on the award.
“I really don’t know what to say, and I’m honestly surprised. I know we’ve worked hard since that bad loss in Newcastle, but all the guys have been a part of it. I guess it just shows that if we all keep focused and work hard as a team, good things can happen. I just hope we can keep it going this month because the trophy we all want comes at the end of the season.”
Davis steered the Rocks to league wins over the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders, the Guildford Heat, and the PAWS London Capital during the month. That has seen them move up to fourth place in the table, which would be good enough for homecourt advantage come playoff time, and extends their winning run to six games in total.
Of particular note was the 82-88 victory over the Heat, who are the reigning league champions, at The Spectrum. The player/coach scored 24 points himself in that game as a second quarter surge gave the Rocks a commanding lead, before they had to fight off a late rally from their hosts.
The 6’7” Texan led from the front in the 79-78 defeat of the Capital on 30th January as with Santa Ataha driving to the basket for a lay-up that would have won the game for the Londoners, Davis emerged from the weak side and blocked his shot into the raucous Braehead crowd.
January also saw a fascinating situation transpire in BBL Trophy Group 4 between the Rocks and the Newcastle Eagles. Davis’s only defeat in the month came on the 4th January as they were beaten 113-89 by the Eagles. In order to progress from their pool, Davis had to mastermind a 24-point defeat of their biggest rivals in the return fixture, something that the club has previously only done on three occasions in history. However, with 26 seconds remaining the Rocks were winning by the required 24 points, only to fall agonisingly short despite a 100-78 win.
Davis and the Rocks now turn their attention to the BBL Championship, with a visit to the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets on Sunday (5.30pm tip-off).
The Rocks next home game at Braehead Arena is Sunday 10 February v Sheffield Sharks. Tip off is 5:00pm (doors 4:00).
Posted on 01 February, 2008
