Great Britain point guard Flinder Boyd has joined the Newcastle Eagles, following a period out of domestic competition after the 2009 Eurobasket tournament in Poland.
The former Dartmouth Ivy League graduate comes to the club after a five year career in France and Spain. Flinder started his professional career in 2002 at French Pro A club Le Havre and has since played in French Pro B with Mulhouse and Nantes, before a two year spell with Rosalia in the Spanish LEB. Flinders' last club attachment was with Leicester Riders, before joining the Great Britain national team last summer.
Flinder played a key role in the GB programme at its first European Championship Finals in 32 years,. Although the team did not reach the final stages, the highlight of its group competition was without doubt the narrow loss to World and European Champions Spain, which saw the GB side 4 points ahead with three minutes to play.
Eagles coach Fab Flournoy believes that he already has a basis of a team to retain the BBL Championship title, but feels Boyd will give the team the added dimension it needs.
"Flinder is a player I have been keen to sign for a little while now. We have talked a lot recently and have monitored Flinders' rehabilitation. He is a much respected player and I think the type of character that is going to fit very easily into our system. He is also the type of guy that makes players around him better, which will be a real shot in the arm for us at this point in the season, both on and off the court".
Eagles' managing director Paul Blake expressed, 'I'm really pleased to see Flinder come to the club. He is an intelligent, likeable individual, who without question has proven his ability at domestic and international level. It is a real boost for the club and the league to have a potential 2012 representative participating on these shores.'
Boyd is expected to join the club on Monday 25th January as the club prepare for their home tie against Plymouth Raiders on Thursday 28th January.
Source: www.bbl.org.uk
