Banner image

Play-Off Preview » Bristol Flyers v Newcastle Eagles

Thursday, April 27th 2017

(7) Bristol Flyers v (2) Newcastle Eagles,
BBL Play-Off Quarter-final,
Friday, April 28th & Sunday, April 30th 2017,
SGS WISE Arena and Sport Central,

After a stunning finish to the season, Flyers enter the BBL Play-Offs as the seventh seed with Newcastle Eagles as their first round opponent.

Everything you need to know on Flyers’ first round opponents can be found below:

Fabulous Flournoy MBE

HEAD COACH
The 6ft 3in shooting guard was a student at NCAA Division one college McNeese State University. Flournoy took on the role of player/coach during the 2003/04 season.

DID YOU KNOW
Newcastle Eagles head coach Fab Flournoy made the the 2017 New Year Honours list and picked up his MBE from His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge in March.

FORM

Bristol Flyers:  WWLWW
Bristol Flyers' finished their season in seventh place, the highest they have finished in the BBL in their franchise history. Flyers worked extremely hard to turn their season around, posting an impressive 12-6 record since the new year. Flyers are rounding into form just at the right time, as they went 2-0 for the final weekend of the season. Bristol will feel confident heading into the contest with their explosive backcourt of Hameed Ali and Aaron Cosby, who sit in the top ten in assists and points respectively.

Newcastle Eagles: WLLWW 
Newcastle Eagles are one of the most decorated clubs in the BBL. The team from the North East have won the Play-Offs seven times, which is more than any club in BBL history. Despite the Eagles' great season, they have struggled away from home and have only picked up one win away from home since the turn of the new year. 

KEY MATCHUP

HAMEED ALI

Games played: 33
Points per game: 16.1
Assists per game: 5.5
Field goal percentage: 44.2%

RAHMON FLETCHER

Games played: 33
Points per game: 20.5
Assists per game: 6.6
Field goal percentage: 53.5%

LAST TIME OUT
Flyers faced Eagles on Friday, February 17th and lost 108-94 in close game in Newcastle. In a contest which saw Bristol take the early lead, until a storming Eagles comeback led by a Scott Martin's 41 point performance put the game out of reach. 

WATCH LIVE
Both games will be available to watch online via the league’s official streaming partner, LiveBasketball.TV. - click here to sign up NOW!

ODDS
Bet 365 has installed Flyers as underdogs to win Friday’s clash with 4/1 odds. Newcastle Eagles are priced at 1/7 to win the game.

"We’re going to really need the fans' support on Friday to help us take a lead into Sunday’s game”

Leslee Smith

Analysis

"For Flyers to be successful in this first round Play-Off tie they will have to bring their fiercest defence to keep the Eagles' score down and to create fast break opportunities. In the half-court game Flyers will need to allow their offence to flow with plenty of ball movement to find the open man.

"With the first round match-up just a few days away, there's no shying away from the fact that Newcastle Eagles as a first round opponent is a tough draw. However, if Flyers are able to cause the upset and score more than Eagles over the two legs, there is nothing to say that Flyers can't make a deep Play-Off run."

Click here to read our full review of the 2016/17 BBL regular season

Related News

Latest News

Also from Bristol Sport