Eagles aim to send Phoenix down in flames
East Cavan Eagles will be back with a vengeance this weekend as they take on the Phoenix Rockets, the only team to beat them this year.
The Virginia based team have taken the league by storm, winning 12 out of 13 games, only being beaten by the Lisburn team.
Coach Dave Baker is confident the team’s experience since their defeat has set them up for Saturday’s home game.
“Coming into this week’s game we’re obviously playing against a team that has actually beaten us in the league.
“It wasn’t our best game by any means, but I think the girls, a little bit like Portlaoise last week, are determined to change that result around and prove that we are a better squad, the better team.”
The Rockets will arrive in Virginia on Saturday, where many away teams have been daunted by the Eagles fantastic fan base.
“I don’t think any team has come into the show centre this year and settled in well and been happy with the situation.
“Basketball in Ireland wouldn’t have a huge turnout of fans, but when you put 500-plus people into the Show Centre and they’re all shouting, it does get very very loud in there, so I do think it will be daunting for the [Rockets] girls.”
The manager explained the Eagles were off their usual game for multiple reasons during their last encounter with the Rockets.
“We had a lot of injuries that week in practice and then from the minute we went into the game I didn’t feel our concentration levels were high enough. We never got to play our type of game.”
The Virginia team were “shell shocked” by how physical the opposition were.
“It was a very very physical game. I don’t complain about refs but they weren’t my favourite on the day. We were actually just put off by the physicality that was allowed to go and the girls were a little bit shell shocked by it but that won’t happen again.”
If the East Cavan Eagles secure a victory this weekend, they will be firm favourites to enter the Super League division next season.
“I think we would need three or four more wins. I think it’s really going to come down to that game at St. Paul’s, who we have at home in Virginia, the second last game of the season.
“St. Pauls Killarney were the favourites by a long shot coming into the season with Portlaoise sitting right behind them so we’re quite close to everybody on it.”