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Riders Face Tough Test

Rob PaternostroJelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders will aim to snap an eight game losing streak against Newcastle Eagles when the sides meet on Saturday evening. The Riders last defeated Eagles in March 2007 when they won 86-84 at the John Sandford Sports Centre. Riders coach Rob Paternostro knows his team face a tough test against the Eagles: "Newcastle is filled with players who understand what it takes to get it done in this league" he said. "Charles Smith and Reggie Jackson both had big games against us last time, but I think they are a team who can beat you in many different ways. I'm pretty confident Fab will be back and you don't have to be a genius to understand what he means to that basketball team.''

Old rivals Guildford Heat and Marshall MK Lions meet for the first time in the BBL Championship this season on Saturday evening.

Six of the seven meetings between the teams resulted in Heat wins last season, but Lions have already gained some measure of revenge this year with a 79- 75 home victory in the BBL Cup first round. Having seen a lot of the Heat over the last 15 months, Lions' coach Vince Macauley knows what to expect when his team travel to Guildford:

"Mike Martin is always key for them because he can elevate his game to the next level. We have to be solid and pressurise them the whole game.''

"I think Chad [McKnight], Mike and Julius [Joseph] really like playing together and that is the nucleus of the team, they have done very well at home though yet to find their feet on the road, we need to capitalise on the things we did in the first encounter"

The following evening sees a top of the table clash at Northgate Arena as Cheshire Jets and Sheffield Sharks do battle for BBL Championship points. Sharks go into the game on top of the BBL Championship table with an 11-3 record, while Jets are three wins behind in joint third – but have three games in hand.

Jets coach Paul Smith knows his team will have to raise their game if they are to defeat the Sharks: "They are a very good all round team. They are playing the best basketball in the league at the moment. Ryan Patton and Mike Cook are a great back court combo who have hurt us quite badly in previous games. We haven't got near them previously so we will have to come up with something a bit different this time!" Glasgow Rocks will again be without player-coach Sterling Davis when they host Worcester Wolves on Sunday evening.

Davis missed his side's win against Everton due to injury, and to add insult to that injury was ejected from the game and will serve a one-game suspension on Sunday.

It will be the second meeting between the teams this season, and Rocks will be aiming to wrap up the head-to-head series between the teams having won 93-89 when the teams met in the midlands October. Despite that win coach Davis expects a tough game when the Wolves arrive at Kelvin Hall: "I think they are very dangerous team to play, and Chuck is doing a good job his first year in. They always play hard and at a high pace. I think Harker, Disy and George are all key from them on the inside and Zabas is lights out from the perimeter. We will have to be ready to play transition defence and just match their intensity." Finally, there's a basement battle at London Capital on Sunday afternoon when Essex Pirates visit.

Source: www.bbl.org.uk

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