The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Steutel calls season schedule ‘shambolic’
A PERPLEXED Marc Steutel has taken fresh aim at the British Basketball League’s unpredictable fixture calendar as Seriös Group Newcastle Eagles prepare for tonight’s return to action.
The men in black host Bristol in the first of four games in nine days, counting down to the end of the regular season.
But a hotly anticipated clash follows an 11-day break for a Newcastle team that’s gone from feast to famine and back again fixtures-wise.
“I’ve said it before but the schedule is shambolic this season,” said the Eagles playcaller.
“I really think the league needs to look at it. They talk about trying to improve certain aspects of the league and a lot of progress has been made.
“But I’ve been really disappointed with the way they’ve scheduled games.
“For us not to play last week and then face four games in nine days is just ridiculous.
“Some teams played three games in March and we played nine.
“This is my opinion but I do speak to other coaches and I think the consensus is broadly the same.
“Scheduling-wise, the league has broadly got things right for many, many years.
“But they’ve tried to do things differently this season and, for whatever reason, it just hasn’t worked.
“It’s been really difficult for us to get into any kind of rhythm practice-wise.”
Progress in the European North Basketball League (ENBL) meant Newcastle added a further nine games to their fixture list this season.
But Steutel insists grappling with the British Basketball League schedule has been far more challenging.
“Playing in Europe was our decision and it’s a choice I always felt comfortable with,” he added. “This is not about the ENBL.
“And this isn’t about me making excuses. It’s about me saying that something needs to improve moving forward. “We’ve had more than a week without a game and, while the rest has been good, that rest has been building up to four games in nine days.”
Newcastle are locked in a thrilling three-way battle for a top four spot but the Eagles will have a big say in what happens at the opposite end of the playoff picture this weekend.
Tonight’s opponents Bristol are fighting it out with Surrey Scorchers to avoid an eighth place finish and a playoff tie with title winners London.
And with Steutel’s men due to travel to Surrey on Saturday, the Great Britain coach is anticipating two fiercely contested fixtures likely to go down to the wire.
“I’ve said it all season but there are no easy games and even now every team we face has something to play for,” he added. “We’re in a battle to finish fourth but Bristol and Surrey would argue there’s just as much at stake for them right now.
“When it comes to Flyers we feel we know we weren’t at our best when they were last up here and it’s a chance to right some wrongs.
“But from what I’ve seen during practice this week I’m genuinely excited to get back on court. Every game’s a huge game and it feels like playoff time already.
“When we control the tempo of a game and the pace of a game we’re in the same bracket as the very top teams in this league.
“When we are mentally locked into what we need to do, we’re a really good outfit.
“We want to be playing our best basketball over these next four games and going into the playoffs.
“I’ve been honest enough to admit when we haven’t been playing well this season but right now I look at this group and feel like we’re in a really good position.”
They’ve (the league) tried to do things differently this season and, for whatever reason, it just hasn’t worked Marc Steutel