Rex ready to make his GB debut
REX Pflueger is ‘excited’ about the future of British basketball as the dual-national Newcastle Eagles star prepares to take his international bow tonight.
Ahead of a mouth-watering EuroBasket qualifier against France, acting head coach Marc Steutel revealed his latest call-up was always destined to wear a Great Britain vest.
Pflueger, whose late mother was born in England, has been tipped to make the final 12 to face the world’s sixth best side this weekend.
He said: “I am enjoying my first experience with the GB team even with all the Covid restrictions.
“There are a lot of good players here and the coaching has me excited about the future of British basketball.
“It is an honour to play for my mom’s homeland. It really makes me happy knowing she is smiling down from above with love.”
Steutel has been keeping tabs on Pflueger for some time and jumped at the chance to call up Newcastle’s close-season signing.
He said: “Rex has been on the GB radar for some time now.
“He was identified by former head coach Joe Prunty and has been in contention for a number of years.
“Rex has been on our database for a long time and we watched his college career at Notre Dame very closely.
“He has been in contention for a senior call-up since then. Nate (Reinking, GB head coach) was Joe’s assistant so Rex’s is a name heis very familiar with.
“When he signed for Newcastle in the summer everyone involved with GB was delighted.
“Rex has had a great start to the BBL season and we are expecting him to be fully recovered from the facial injury he suffered against Sheffield Sharks earlier this month.”
Pflueger was part of the 14-man squad which flew out to Pau on Monday ahead of joining FIBA’s Covid-secure French bubble.
After impressing in practice this week sources suggest the Eagles favourite - who missed last Friday’s BBL Cup defeat against London - has done enough to make the final 12 to face France.
GB threw their EuroBasket group wide open with a memorable win against heavyweights Germany at the Eagles’ Community Arena earlier this year.
However, France are ranked sixth in the world and are hot favourites to take the points on home soil.
“Trying to prepare for the sixth best team in the world is far from easy,” added Steutel, who works fulltime as a Higher Education Curriculum Leader at Newcastle College.
“These are the games you want to be involved in as a player and a coach. We want to be taking on France and competing at this level year in, year out.”
■ TO follow Pflueger and Steutel in action against France tonight and Montenegro on Sunday tune in to FIBA’s YouTube channel. Both matches tip off at 6.00 UK time.