The Cheshire Jets are happy to welcome back Colin O’Reilly to the Northgate. The 25 year old forward has signed up for the 2010/11 season and is the first player to be confirmed as a definite in the new roster.
The return of the former UCC Demons star will please fans who cheered Colin on during a solid first season. After dominating the Irish league the season before Colin showed real leadership potential on court and impressed the Jets coaching staff with his work ethic.
Colin spoke about what he gained from last season;
“The highlight in the season past for me was the winning run we went on to close out the regular season and gain a top 4 finish. We played great basketball throughout, which was enjoyable for the fans and for the players to play in. Obviously the two cup semi wins were big for the club and its profile but the way we achieved the wins gave great pleasure to the team. The bbl cup semi was a tight finish but the joy at the end for everyone involved made it a very special occasion. The Trophy semi final was the opposite where we had it won by the half and could sit back and enjoy the carnival atmosphere created by the crowd. Although we came away empty handed I still think we can look back and say it was a success in the fact the team took a step in the right direction towards the long-term goals.
The 6 ft 7 Irish International was a consistent scorer for the Jets during the 09/10 season averaging around 14 points and 7 rebounds a game.
Head Coach Paul Smith said;
“I’m happy to be able to secure our first signing of the season. Colin is an excellent three point shooter a great passer and solid rebounder. He is also a real team player with great team ethics that fit easily into the side.
He is an intelligent player who can read the game very well, which is unusual for someone still quite young.
I and the rest of the coaching staff saw him take up more of a leadership role on the court as the season developed and that is something we hope he can continue next season. We are continuing to work hard over the summer to recruit the best Jets team possible for next season. We are improving year on year by adopting the principle of building on the squad we already have. It is tricky, because the economic environment is not favorable and we have to be careful, but Colin is a great start for us.
O’Reilly has had many talks with Smith over the direction of the club for next season and the goals of the coaching team;
“Having sat down with Paul and heard his ideas about what way he wants to put a team together and the style of play then it was a no decision for me to return. Individually everything is in place to improve your game while also playing for a club and fans that expect the team to challenge for Trophies. That brings extra motivation and excitement to succeed which is always a good environment to be involved in”
He went on to say;
“The goal for 2010/11 has to be to improve our consistency in the league so that we are challenging at the business end of the season. We can’t afford to slip up against the bottom half teams at any stage if we are to be the elite team that Chester deserves. The structures are in place so next year it’s important we move on another step from 09/10 and put ourselves in positions where the experience gained from this season will help us bring back some silverware.
Colin is due to jet back into Chester to coach on the Jets Summer camp which is being held at Whitby High School from the 25th of July to the 30th.
Colin said;
“I’ll spend the summer mainly working on what I learnt from 09/10 that will help me perform at a higher level. Also ill get a chance to coach at the Jets camp. I’ve done a fair few camps in my day and am really looking forward to seeing and working with the junior talent in Chester.”
Colin will then return to start pre-season training with the rest of the team before the first game of the season on the 22nd of September.
Source: www.bbl.org.uk
