Murray bids to take Rocks into final
Glasgow Rocks are in the middle of a five-game run that could make or break their season – but coach Gareth Murray is delighted to be in that position.
After a nightmare season in which Rocks finished bottom of the British Basketball League amid Covid restrictions and financial constraints, Rutherglen ace Murray is delighted to see his side climbing the table, and in the BBL Cup semi-finals.
Having played Manchester Giants in the league on Friday (losing 94-79), Rocks will contest their BBL Cup semi-final second leg in Manchester tonight (Wednesday), having won 102-92 in the first leg on Sunday.
Two more league games against Surrey Scorchers and Bristol Flyers loom on December 17 and 19, before they take a break until December 29, when Rocks host Sheffield Sharks.
Murray says after last season’s anguish, this is a brilliant position to be in.
He said:“If someone had said last season that by this point we would be in the semi-finals of the BBL Cup and be doing well in the league, I’d be very happy.
“We’ve got five games in 10 days now, we had the Friday game in the league against Manchester, then back to Glasgow on Sunday for the first leg of the semi-final, then we go down there on Wednesday and finish the second leg, so whoever wins that will go on to the final in January.
“Then we come home again and play on Friday against Surrey, and on Sunday against Bristol at home, so it’s a busy schedule for these 10 days.
“But the two main games for us will be that semi-final, because we want to reach that final in Birmingham in January.
“That would be a big achievement for the club.”
Gareth, 37, added:“It’s great to be in that position.
“Last year we were just trying to survive, and trying to get people here, and trying to win a couple of games.
“This year we’re trying to make it to a final, trying to push ourselves up in the league, and if we can get a couple of these league games that will really help us out, to push us up to that top half of the table.
“It’s completely different from last season. It’s fun when you’re winning games, but I’m enjoying the whole process of bringing guys in, trying to build and create the culture of this club – that’s what I’m enjoying the most.
“Winning games is the most important thing, but it’s the way we play, and the type of guys that I’ve brought in that is important.
“After these five games we’ll have a few days off until we play again on the 29th, but it’s always busy. The players get time off but I don’t, too much, because I have to analyse everything, make sure everything’s ready – video, scouting, preparing for the next game.
Murray says the turnaround in fortunes is largely down to some canny recruitment in the summer and says he hopes fans flock back to their games.
He said:“It’s a bit of recruitment, bringing in some high-level guys, but just the way the team is working together.
“The vision I had over the summer, of what team I wanted to build, and how we wanted to play, is coming together.
“We’re trying to make an exciting, up-tempo style of basketball where people want to come and watch us play, and will have fun coming to watch us play.
“That’s what I’m trying to get, what I’m trying to build right now.”