Leicester Riders head coach Rob Paternostro believes that Saturday’s British Basketball League Final between his side and Newcastle Eagles is the final that everyone wanted to see.
The East-Midlands side finished second in the BBL this season, behind league winners Newcastle with the two facing each other five times in all competitions. Paternostro is more than familar with who he is up against at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena.
“We’ve played them [Newcastle] five times, and I think we’re very familar with each other,” he said.
“I think it’s a final that most neutrals wanted with the top two sides meeting,” Patnernostro added. “By the end of the season we were the best two sides in the league, it should be a good game.”
Newcastle are chasing a clean sweep of titles after claiming the BBL Cup, Trophy and League crowns. The Tyneside outfit have played great basketball and showed tremendous character in their semi-final triumph against Cheshire Jets, coming from a 99-89 first leg deficit to win in Chester 79-64 en route to Saturday’s finale.
“They’re very versatile with a lot of guys can shoot so they stretch you out,” he admitted. Joe Chapman, Andrew Thomson and Charles Smith can really knock down three-pointers, so it’s important you limit their clean looks.”
Leicester are looking to win their first bit of domestic silverware since 2001.
