Macaulay Looks to Sweep Raiders
Having clinched fourth place in the BBL Championship table
- their highest ever finish and a home playoff spot - Marshall
MK Lions coach Vince Macaulay is looking to end the league
season on a high when his side travel to third-placed Kularoos
Plymouth Raiders in Wednesday night's live Setanta Sports
1 game.
"I think Gary Stronach has done a tremendous job with
Raiders," said Coach Macaulay. "They've been in
the hunt all the way, and only came up a little short in the
end. They'll want to finish their league season with a rousing
finish at home, and we're expecting a tough game. We've won
the two league games against them, and we'll be going all
out to complete the sweep.
"Their team is like ours in that they've been together
for a while, and they all know their roles. Anthony Martin
has settled in there really well this year. They were a bit
of a plodding team last season, but he's brought some zip
to their game. His quickness brings out the best in Drew Lasker
and Beasley, and I think those three are Raiders' key players
with their speed and aggression. They've got Terrance Durham
and Gaylon Moore inside together with Gavin Love and Allister
Gall on the outside, but those three are the players who make
them tick."
Ironically, it was the Raiders that guaranteed the Lions
their home playoff berth after beating the SAMG Verve Scottish
Rocks on Sunday.
Macaulay and the Lions are coming into this game on the back
of an heartbreaking 93-86 double-overtime defeat to the Newcastle
Eagles. Macaulay added,
"It was like a heavyweight boxing match, we kept knocking
each other down, but both teams kept getting up. It was always
going to be a good game, and I thought the Eagles were superb
in terms of their attitude and application.
"I was really pleased with our guys as well, and we
got to try out some things for the playoffs, so I was pleased
with our performance.
"It was great to see Bletchley rammed to the rafters,
and it was probably the noisiest I have ever heard it."
Macaulay will be hoping to end a trend in games between Raiders
and Lions this season, as the home team has come out on top
in four meetings.
Tony Windless led the Lions with 18 points as they won 81-78
in late October before repeating the trick with a 73-67 victory
in December. They also won 90- 80 in the BBL Trophy in January
before losing the return a fortnight later, 70-67.
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