TN’s waiting game with Champ
TEAM Northumbria face Worthing Thunder for a place in the Final Fours of the Division One play-offs next month – sweating on the fitness of key man Lewis Champion.
Marc Steutel’s side has a weekend off as it heads into the business end of an inconsistent campaign.
Champion’s fitness is a genuine concern after the point guard was forced to miss last weekend’s regularseason finale against Leicester.
Steutel’s men managed to take a slim victory against the East Midlanders but lost out to Reading 24 hours earlier.
TN had to play against Leicester without Champion after he had to leave the court with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the Reading clash.
However, the hosts signed off the regular season on a winning note after edging a 75-68 victory.
It should have been so much easier after TN opened up a 14-point firstquarter lead – only to allow Leicester a way back in.
Struggling to hit the net consistently – in spite of Malcolm Smith and Blayne Freckleton’s firepower – the home side was lucky to take the honours.
However, TN had an even tougher time against Reading after struggling to shut down the visitors’ imposing offence.
In addition it was a challenge to break through Berkshire club’s defence although Freckleton, Smith and Atif Russell managed to score an impressive 64 points combined.
That was not enough to stop the visitors, who ended up winning 110-91.
Captain Jack Preston refused to blame the officials for his side’s ultimate downfall. He said: “Reading was a tough one. We did not give ourselves a chance.
“We did not do ourselves any favours so the loss is not on them (the referees). The loss is on us.
“We need to be back to playing together and playing the Team Northumbria style of basketball.
“Playing tough, playing hard and playing together. I think if we do that, we give ourselves a chance. We did not do that in the Reading game.”
Champion’s ankle injury could put added pressure on TN heading into the playoff quarter-finals.
Preston added: “Lewis has not had a chance to see a physio yet but the message from him was he was not able to play against Leicester.
“We have next weekend off and then we have the first round of play-offs so hopefully he will be ready by then.”