Great Britain - It's showtime in the BBL

From www.setantasports.com
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So now it is showtime. Undoubtedly, the four best basketball teams in Britain - Guildford Heat, Milton Keynes Lions, Newcastle Eagles and Plymouth Raiders head to the BBL Finals Weekend at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham – to determine who gets the bragging rights to be the Kings of British Hoops (the BBL Play-Off Final is at 5pm on Sunday, Live on Setanta Sports 1).

Not wanting to blow my own trumpet but last week I predicted that the top four Championship finishers would win their Play-Off quarter-finals and make the Finals Weekend. Despite valiant efforts by Worcester and Everton in particular, that was the result. Curiously, a certain Setanta Sports commentator predicted that none of the top four would reach Birmingham – stand up Mike Shaft. Though as Shafty says in his website blog - www.mikeshaft.com - at least he didn’t sit on the fence, let’s hope he didn’t go to Ladbrokes either.

For me it is the best outcome because it guarantees a weekend of quality basketball for the sell out crowds at the NIA. Of the four, only Plymouth Raiders haven’t won any BBL silverware so far this season – Lions won the Cup, Heat won the Trophy and Eagles marched off with the Championship.

Two more BBL prizes have also been handed out this week with Eagles Centre Lynard Stewart winning the BBL Coaches vote for the League MVP and Vince Macaulay of Lions being voted BBL Coach of the Year by the BBL press-pack.

Although it is understandable that the BBL announces these awards before the Finals - so that the presentations can take place at the main event - it is a shame that the performances at the Finals themselves will not influence the outcome.

To be fair it would take a Herculean effort by a player at the Finals to sway the BBL Coaches’ opinion on the MVP. Stewart has been recognised as virtually unplayable on occasions by most BBL play-callers this season, and no fewer than seven out of the eleven coaches who could vote (Eagles Coach Fab Flournoy couldn’t pick his own man) made him their number one choice.

I’m sure the basketball journos though would have liked another week to decide, as the real BBL Coach of the Year will be the man who’s team triumphs on Sunday.

So then my predictions, well for the semi-finals I think the Lions versus Eagles match-up could be the game of the weekend. With both teams fresh it will a bruising encounter with no quarter given. There is no doubt that Lions players such as Robert Youngblood, Tony Windless and Yorick Williams can intimidate opponents but they will not get under the skin of the Eagles players. Newcastle can cope with a physical game and have the quality to get this one done.

Verdict: MVP Stewart leads Eagles to their third final of the season – Newcastle to win by 7 points.

In the second semi think this Heat roster’s experience of big games in Europe and the Trophy Final will be a factor. Raiders have had an amazing season built on a formidable home court record. Although the hordes of fans in Green from Plymouth will attempt to make the NIA feel like the Pavilions, reckon that Heat will handle the occasion better.

The demands of the ULEB Cup campaign probably cost Heat a genuine shot at the Championship this season but it won’t deny them a BBL Play-Off Final place.

Verdict: Anyone of the Heat players named on the BBL All-Star team – Danny Gilbert, Tony Dorsey or EJ Harrison – to step-up and see Heat into the Final with an 11 point victory.

So I reckon Setanta’s BBL coverage for this season will end as it started with Guildford playing Newcastle in a BBL Final and I predict the same result.

Newcastle captain Andrew Bridge made the point this week that the demands of the two back-to-back games will mean that teams will need to go deep into their bench and share the load. I completely agree and think that this works in Heat’s favour especially with sharpshooters such as James Jones and Dan Wardrope in reserve. After all until Eagles dramatic comeback to claim the Championship on Heat’s home court, Guildford had had Newcastle’s number this season with three straight wins.

Verdict: Heat to take revenge for that overtime defeat at the Spectrum and end Eagles BBL Play-Off Final winning streak at three. Heat win by eight points, with Danny Gilbert claiming the Finals MVP award.

Whether I’m right or wrong - it’ll be feet up and a cold beer time on Sunday to watch the climax to the British basketball season Live on Setanta Sports 1.