There’s a lot Riding on this for Eagles
FLETCHER SET FOR TOUGH CHALLENGE
UNBEATEN Newcastle Eagles will face their toughest test of the season so far on Friday night when Leicester Riders roll into town.
The Eagles have got off to a flying start this term, but that record will be given a stern examination when the reigning BBL champions arrive at Sport Central.
Mercurial point guard Rahmon Fletcher is also off to an electric start but is not as surprised as some at how well the Eagles have started.
“I think it’s just a process. I knew in Belgium, which was a tough trip, that we had real potential and we showed glimpses. Probably more defensively than offensively. Then we had the swap with Jeremy Smith coming in I really didn’t know how it would be,” he said.
“But to be honest I’m not overly surprised with the group of guys and the core of guys we’ve got.
“It’s just all about implementing Jeremy, somebody that’s been a pro, into our system.
“So, I’m not surprised but I’m more surprised with the margins by which we’ve been winning games rather than just winning.”
Fletcher is averaging an astonishing 13 assists per game, and a lot of those have been to power forward Victor Moses.
It’s that 1-2 punch that has had a lot of people sitting up and taking notice. Fletcher explained how that seems to be working.
He added: “I think this year my focus has just been strictly about winning.
“I mean it’s always been about that, but I think Europe changed my mindset.
“You don’t have to score to be effective and you don’t have to have the ball at all times.
“With someone like Vic it’s different. Him and Darius (Defoe) are totally different and has given me a different option.
“Vic hangs around under the basket and those are my attack points and I can kind of just drop it off.
“I have a good relationship on the court with Darius as well, but with the way Vic runs the floor the connection just came a lot faster than anyone could have expected and I think that’s a good weapon for us.”
As always, though, as a disciple of head coach Fab Flournoy’s system he thinks defensive has been the main key to the Eagles fast start.
“That has been our staple diet for ever. In my last year we had that but we weren’t as locked in to as fast as this team has bought in to it.
“We only have three people in Vic, Jeremy and Kyle (Williams) that doesn’t know the system but they are learning quicker.”
“Our transition has been good but for me the way we’ve locked in defensively has definitely made it easier for us to do what we’re doing at the other end.”
Leicester are going into November having only played one game in the BBL due to their involvement in European competition and will face Newcastle only 48 hours after playing in Hungary tonight.
“It’s different for them. I can attest to how different it can be going from European to domestic games after my experience last year and it’s tough,” said Fletcher. “The styles are so different, although I do think the BBL has been more balanced so far. More emphasis on defence and a lot less run and gun.
“I’m not so sure that for them it’s going to be as tough for them to make the transition as obviously it’s us they’re playing.
“They’re a really good team and they’ve been playing a ton of games, and I think we’re all looking forward to it. It’s Eagles v
Riders so a lot of stuff goes out of the window because of that.”