Marshall MK Lions v Sheffield Sharks
Friday 28 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ Bletchley LC

Marshall MK Lions coach Vince Macauley is looking for his side to build on last week's victory against Worcester Wolves when they host Sheffield Sharks on Friday evening: "I was very pleased with the way we approached the Worcester game and the way the team settled very early. Beating them on the boards is crucial to take away their fast breaks but it took us till the start of the fourth to close them down. I was happy with our fire power which was what we wanted to address, and when Yorick recovers fully we can really start to run. I was delighted with Mike New because he took the game to the Wolves big men and showed his experience fouling them all out."

The game saw the debut of Lions' shooting guard Jayson Obazuaye, and Macauley was delighted with how his new signing played: "Jayson was exactly what it says on the tin, top competitor, nose for the basket and an extremely hard worker. He took three big offensive rebounds down the stretch which were key."

The Lions play-caller has done his homework on Friday's opposition: I saw them right at the start of the season and also this weekend against Worcester. They are a nicely put together team and Sherman [Rivers] is leading them well, I like [Matt] Gorman and the addition of Todd [Cauthorn] has been good for them to slow down erratic behaviour.

"I think Sherman is key to the Sharks, he is very versatile, big for a point guard and plays hard, but I was also pleased to see Joel Burns score well on Saturday."

Sharks coach Atiba Lyons knows his team are in for a difficult game at Bletchley: "Milton Keynes is going to be a tough game. It is tough to beat them in their place. [Terrell] Brown is a tough point guard who does a good job of running the team. With the addition of Obazuaye he brings a lot of scoring. It will be a very tough game."

Sheffield slipped to a pair of defeats last weekend, and Lyons hasn't ruled out making changes to his squad: "We knew going into last week it was going to be tough with injuries and illness. We are planning on making some additions but we still have more than enough talent to win these games. We show that game after game but we just need to finish the game now."

PAWS London Capital v Scottish Rocks
Saturday 29 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ Capital City Academy

PAWS London Capital host Scottish Rocks for the second time this season, and will be looking to gain revenge for their 99-82 defeat a month ago.

Rocks led from tip to buzzer as the Capital struggled to cope with the intensity of their opponents. The visitors maintained that intensity throughout the game, and enjoyed their biggest lead of the game at 46-61 midway through the third period. Marcus Knight led the scoring for the Capital with 18 points, while Rob Yanders led all scorers in the game with an impressive 28-point haul for the Rocks.

Having seen his team lose their basement battle with Worthing Thunder last week, and now lay two wins adrift at the foot of the table, coach Milek Jivens is planning additions to his squad: "We will definitely make some changes. We are looking at a few options and should make some decisions fairly soon."

Jivens is in no doubt that his team will face another tough evening when Rocks visit on Saturday: "Last time we played the Rocks we were outclassed. This time we will work our socks off to change the outcome. We look at everyone on their roster as a danger!"

Rocks player-coach Sterling Davis is looking for a repeat of the intensity his team showed when they won in London last month: "I think the thing we did the best in our first meeting was our concentration level. You have to be concentrated on what you want to do as a team when you face London.

"I think Ibrahim Gariba has been pretty consistent for them and also the addition of Ajou [Deng] is big plus for the team."

Rocks won all three games against the London side last season, but if the game is as exciting as the one in Glasgow in late January, the fans are in for a treat. Davis' side had led 64-58 at the final break, but an amazing finale was set up as London chipped away at the lead early in the fourth before Bradley connected from long range to tie the game at 72. Capital went ahead at 76-74 on a Tayo Ogedengbe score, but a Gareth Murray trey cut their advantage to one with 10 seconds remaining.

London guard Santa Ataha missed a pair of free- throws in-front of a raucous crowd, and the Rocks found Rob Yanders on the outlet, who was fouled himself with 6 seconds to go. The BBL All-Star made both of his free-throws to give the Rocks the lead 79- 78. In the dying seconds Ataha drove against Yanders and looked to score with a lay-up, only to have his shot blocked by Sterling Davis. Capital inbounded the ball with 1.9 seconds remaining but Sam Bradley could not connect on the three-pointer under masses of defensive pressure.

Worthing Thunder v Marshall MK Lions
Saturday 29th November 2008 (7.00pm ) @ Worthing LC

Having broken their winless streak at home last week, Worthing Thunder will be looking to build on that win when they host Marshall MK Lions, on Saturday.

Thunder defeated PAWS London Capital 92-79 to collect their third win since joining the BBL, and coach Gary Smith was pleased with his side's performance: ""It was nice to get the home "W" on Saturday, it's been a while coming but the guys played hard and we didn't allow Capital to get on terms once we had established the early lead. Dan Wardrope showed us what we've known all along he was capable of, so he's now set his standard for the rest of the season. All the guys that came in did a good job, they just need to stay at that level and more wins will follow. I was also pleased with the way Janis [Ivanovskis] and Jon [Woods] interacted with each other - they can be a potent combo in this league and Saturday showed me they can do it and play together, working for each other."

Smith knows his side will face a tough test if they are to repeat that win: "Milton Keynes is a veteran team of players that knows how to win but haven't been firing as yet this season. The signing of Obazuaye gives them a lot of firepower which we are going to need to counteract. The front court of New and Youngblood has a lot of experience behind it, and it will be interesting to see how Jonathon (Woods) and Janis (Ivanovskis) cope with them under the basket.

"With the midweek trip to Scotland to contend with we will not be able to prepare for this game as much as I would have liked, but we'll talk about it and the players will know how I want them to play. Having won our last game at home it would be nice to start a run and turn Worthing into a difficult place to play again, so we'll be going all out for another victory."

Lions coach Vince Macauley isn't expecting an easy game when his team travel to Worthing Leisure Centre on Saturday: "I am watching tape of them as we speak, everyone says they are a nice tidy team who are trying to execute what coach Smith asks them to and they never give up which is great credit to him.

"I have seen Ryan Patton before and Jon Woods, they are very important for them, but [Janis] Ivanovskis has been doing well under the boards and you need someone who always bangs away so we'll need to watch him, having said all that we are just trying to get things straight so we're hungry for every game."

Airwaves Plymouth Raiders v Worcester Wolves
Saturday 29 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ Plymouth Pavilions

BiG Storage Cheshire Jets v Everton Tigers

Sunday 30 November 2008 (5.30pm) @ Northgate Arena

The two sides met for the first time last December, with hosts Everton winning 93-77 at Greenbank Arena. The next game between them took place at the Liverpool Echo Arena in front of a sell-out 7,000 crowd but it was the visiting Jets who came out on top 103- 80 thanks mainly to 25 points from However. Just three days later Everton travelled to Jets' Northgate Arena and gained revenge with an 86- 77 victory.

Tony Garbelotto is under no illusions about the challenge his Everton Tigers side face when they host Jelson Homes Leicester Riders on Friday.

"I've watched them a few times, and obviously we had the overtime game against them, and undoubtedly they are one of the top four or five teams in the league. Rob [Paternostro] has down an incredible job, not only to recruit players who are suited to the BBL but he's added a rejuvenated Tony Windless as well.

"Rob understands the league, and he's rejuvenated that club. He's got a team who simply don't quit, and for that reason alone they'll do well. But he also has a very talented and athletic team. We're in for a very hard and competitive game, and we will have to play well to win it. We really need this challenge, as we haven't been pushed in the last couple of games and we need to regain our focus."

Everton came out on top when the teams met at the John Sandford Sports Centre in October, winning 78- 73 in overtime after the sides had been locked on 67 at the end of regulation time.

Tigers had a comfortable 103-67 victory against BBL newcomers Worthing Thunder last Friday, and Garbelotto was pleased to be able to get some of his newer players plenty of playing time: "The only real positives to come out of it was that Laken [Popoola], Olu [Babalola] and Josh [Gross] got a decent amount of court time - which was something we really needed. Tony Dorsey is still struggling, and we'll be taking him to the club doctor to assess the injury this week. We thought it was only minor, but it's not improving. The only other player we have concerns about is Marcus Bailey who practiced at the end of last week, and due to a bad reaction only played limited minutes against Worthing."

Riders coach Paternostro is aware of the task facing his team: "It will be a very tough game at Everton. They are one of the most talented teams in the league. It seems a long time since we played them, and we've both grown as teams since then and got to know more about ourselves. It will be very difficult to get a result there, and we'll need to play for 40 minutes if we're going to get something out of it.

"Andre Smith has been big for them. He's playing MVP basketball, he gets a lot of rebounds and we'll need to contain him. Josh Gross was injured when we played them before, and he'll also make a difference."  

Marshall MK Lions v Worcester Wolves
Friday 21 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ Bletchley LC

Two sides on the edge of the play-off race meet at Bletchley Leisure Centre on Friday evening when Marshall MK Lions host Worcester Wolves in a BBL Championship race.

Both sides go into the game with three wins under their belts, with Wolves two places higher than the Lions in eighth place having played one game less.

Lions go into the game after a fortnight without a match, and coach Vince Macauley admits it's been a long break since they split their weekend games, beating PAWS London Capital but losing to Airwaves Plymouth Raiders: "It seems a while since we played. Against Capitals we were able to rest a number of players during the game and handle the game comfortably. We gave Terrell [Brown] a few minutes as he makes his way back to recovery. Against Plymouth it was pretty much a game we gave away. Our defence was stifling but we are struggling at the moment putting the ball in the basket and that is why we have made the change we made. Holding the Raiders to 74 should be good enough to win every time. Eddie Morrison had a great weekend and showed real composure against Raiders I am pleased with the way he is progressing."

Since they last played, Lions have replace Carl McNally with Jayson Obazuaye, and Macauley is excited about his new signing: "Jayson is fitting in just fine, he is exactly everything we saw last term, really tough, hardnosed and knows where the basket is, our practice have gone up a couple of notches. It has been very helpful to have the weekend off we have had extra time on the court and he can come into the games with a good knowledge of what we are trying to achieve, he is showing himself to be a high level competitor."

The Lions play-caller is looking forward to their matchup with Wolves: "I was able to see Wolves play against London Capital. They are very similar to last season but maybe not quite as smooth. Life and Evans brought an edge which as at now they have not got. Skouson [Harker] always plays with his heart on his sleeve and no-one can ever fault his commitment, I liked Brown for his size and touch, and he was only three assists short of a triple double."

Wolves also go into the game on the back of a victory against Capital, and player-coach Harker was pleased with the performance, and looking forward to facing the Lions: "I thought it was a well rounded game by all of us. Will Funn did a nice job setting the tempo for us and we were happy to score 66 points at the half.

"Lions have some good veteran players and they can all do well on any night. I am not sure how the signing of Jayson will affect them, but he is a good aggressive guard that will score. It will be interesting to see how they mesh."  

Newcastle Eagles v Scottish Rocks
Friday 21 November 2008 (7.30) @ Newcastle Arena

Newcastle Eagles and Scottish Rocks meet for the second time in six days and Friday, and having seen his team lose 89-74 in Glasgow last week, Eagles player-coach Fabulous Flournoy is looking for an improved performance: "We didn't well at all. I think they didn't play as well as normal either, but they won it with the hussle plays. They did a great job on the boards, and Blake Shelton, Rob Yanders and Gareth Murray really came through for them. We weren't out of it in the fourth quarter, but Mark Pratt and Gareth hit big threes to take them over the top and from then on we were chasing them.

"We need to control the board and finish better around the basket. We missed too many shots, and if we can avoid that it will cut down their fast-break opportunities. We also need to cut down on the amount of turnovers we committed."

Yanders led the way with 24 points for the Rocks in Sunday's victory - earning himself a place in the BBL Team of the Week as one of the biggest rivalries in British basketball went the way of the home team.

Rocks' player-coach Sterling Davis was understandably delighted with his team's win against their rivals: "I thought it was everything that we expected as far as a battle for 40 minutes. Both teams came out fighting from the beginning. We were just fortunate to come out on top on this one I think Randy George and Marc Pratt were the x-factors for us on Sunday. They really stepped up at the right times throughout the course of the game in more ways than one."

Davis still believes there is room for improvement from his team, though: "I think we did a good job on allowing Newcastle one opportunity on most possessions. We know they are a big team and if you give them too many chances they will definitely convert. We still allowed them too many transition opportunities, which is something we have to do a better job at stopping."

Flournoy is expecting another exciting game as two of the biggest rivals in British basketball meet in the north east for the first time this season: "Everyone knows the history, and it's been a massive games for a few years now. It could either way, and anything can happen. Home court advantage doesn't really matter, and it could easily go to the last shot."  

Sheffield Sharks v Guildford Heat
Saturday 21 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ EIS Sheffield

Two clubs who had contrasting games on the road last week meet at the English Institute of Sport on Friday evening with BBL Championship points at stake.

While Heat were going down 82-75 in overtime at Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders, Sharks were recording a comfortable 88-66 victory at Worthing to leave player-coach Atiba Lyons a happy man: "I thought we played similar to how we did the first time we met them. We had a poor first half and a much better second. I think the difference is our defence was solid and enabled us to stay in the game despite our poor performance. James Whyte came ready to play early on and eventually we all followed suit. In the second half Sherman Rivers came out aggressively and was instrumental in opening our lead."

Having seen his side go out of the BBL Cup at the hands of Heat, Lyons knows what to expect from the Guildford team: "We met the Heat once this season in the cup and lost by four at their place. They have had a slow start to their season but are more than capable of being a top tier team. Mike Martin did most of their damage against us in the first meeting. He is tough inside player that we need to watch out for."

Heat coach Paul James is also expecting a tough match-up when his side travel to Yorkshire: "We played Sheffield in the quarter final of the cup a few weeks back. It was a tough game but we managed to come out on top. On their day they have players who can really hurt you offensively, so we are really going to have to play some defense.

"Chris Sanders I feel is one of the better English players in the league this season and can score in several different ways. We need to do our home work on him.

James admitted that he was disappointed with Heat's result in Leicester: "This was yet another game where we had plenty of good scoring opportunities only to see them go begging. Both teams played very hard and the outcome was any bodies guess until the overtime period where they made the bigger plays. I thought that for us Mike Martin, Keonta Howell and EJ Harrison had very good games for the team with our down fall being the extreme lack of offensive support from players I expect more from. Those players know who they are and the pressure is on them now to start performing for the team!"  

Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders v BiG Storage Cheshire Jets
Saturday 22 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ John Sandford Centre

Jelson Homes Leicester Riders and BiG Cheshire Jets meet for the second time this season at the John Sandford Sports Centre on Saturday, and if the game is half as good as the previous encounter the fans are in for a treat.

Jets recorded a thrilling 90-89 victory when the sides met at the same venue seven weeks ago. A Shawn Myers basket with 6 seconds remaining took the score to 90-88. The Riders came down the floor and LaTrell Williams was fouled and sent to the line with 1.2 seconds remaining. Williams made the first, but the second bounced out, and no-one could pull down the rebound as time expired to give the Jets the victory. Tommy Swanson led the Riders scoring with 19 points, but it was Chez Marks who led all scorers in the game with 28 points for the Jets.

Cheshire coach Paul Smith is expecting another tough game when the sides clash again: "Riders are a very well put together team with good size and rebounding ability. I've been very impressed with Swanson and Missere. They also have some excellent BBL veterans in Rod Wellington, LaTrell Williams and Tony Windless. Rob [Paternostro] has done a great job so far. It will be a very difficult game.

Paternostro is expecting another difficult match-up on Saturday: "We played them early in the season, and they're a tough team to match up against offensively. They have a lot of offensive weapons, and they've just added Phil Perre. But for me, Chez Marks is the key man. He's a fantastic player. He can get to the basket and he can shoot from outside. We need to control him if we're going to get a result."

Riders had a mixed weekend last week, suffering a heavy defeat at Newcastle Eagles before winning an overtime thriller at home against Guildford Heat, and Paternostro was pleased with how his side bounced back: "On Friday night we started pretty well and had a good first quarter, and we were okay for some of the second, but after that it was clear who was second best on the night. They exploited all of our weaknesses, and it was a tough loss.

"But I was proud of the guys on Saturday. We've done a lot of traveling recently, and were down a couple of players, but even though we didn't play too well, we did enough to win. It was very enjoyable for us, and the crowd have been fantastic at home. They've really become our sixth man, and when things aren't going well, they pick us up. We have players who feed off that, and it's really positive for us."  

Airwaves Plymouth Raiders v Newcastle Eagles
Saturday 22 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ Plymouth Pavilions

Airwaves Plymouth Raiders will be looking to level the season series against Newcastle Eagles when the sides meet on Saturday evening.

The teams met at the same venue in October, and 28 points Trey Moore points helped Eagles make the long trip home with a 91-73 victory under their belts.

Raiders coach Gary Stronach rates Eagles as the team with great strength in depth: "I consider them to be truly eight deep. Anyone of those guys could start and we need to realise that. They can beat you from inside and outside and you have to limit their penetration."

"We need to compete for 40 minutes and also our defence needs to remain where it is now and not go back to how it was when we last played them. We are expecting another big crowd it seems a while since we've been at home."

Raiders haven't played since winning at Milton Keynes a fortnight ago, but Stronach believes the break may prove beneficial for his team: "In hindsight the week off has been important as it's enabled me to rest and give players the chance to get treatment on injuries. Obviously we've still practiced but it's been a little more laid back and at times not as intense.

"I think the Lions game was one of runs, for them it was in the second and third, for us it was the first and fourth. I felt our bench did a great job if it wasn't for them we would have lost the game."

With his team also hosting local rivals Scottish Rocks on Friday evening, Eagles player-coach Fabulous Flournoy expects a difficult weekend as they attempt to bounce back from last week's defeat against the Rocks: "Our last couple of games have been a huge test for us, and I guess it was inevitable that we'd have a bad game at some stage. They'll be waiting for us, and it's a tough game. They're playing really well at home, and it's not an easy ride down there. We sneaked away with a win last time we went there, but they'll be better prepared and ready for us this time around."

Flournoy is ready for another difficult game in Plymouth as they look to repeat last month's win there: "The two big guys inside [Kwbana Beckles and Terrance Durham] always do a good job for them. We're coming into this game after losing to a Rocks side who don't have a big inside presence, so we really need to step things up on the boards. Dru Lasker has been putting up some great numbers, and DeAntoine Beasley remains a driving force for them."  

Worcester Wolves v Sheffield Sharks
Saturday 22 November 2008 (7.00pm) @ Worcester Univ

Worcester Wolves will be looking for revenge against Sheffield Sharks when the teams meet in the BBL Championship on Saturday evening.

Sharks knocked Wolves out of the BBL Cup 89-80 on their own floor when the side met a month ago. Atiba Lyons' team were led by Chris Sanders's 23 points and 7 rebounds, whilst James Whyte had 18 and Sherman Rivers added 17 and 8 boards. Anthony Paez led the Wolves with 21, whilst Frenchman Harry Disy had 17 and 12 rebounds.

The sides also met in the BBL Trophy, and Wolves won both games on their way to their first semi-final at the top level of British basketball. A 125-121 thriller at the EIS meant that Sharks had to win by five to progress in the competition, but it was Harker's team who won the game in Worcester, 84-81.  

Worthing Thunder v PAWS London Capital
Saturday 22 November 2008 (7.00pm) @ Worthing LC

While it will be the first time the teams have met in the BBL Championship, they did clash in the BBL Trophy last season, with Capital winning both games, and they were also old rivals in the EBL Division One.

Capital coach Milek Jivens sees the game as a must win one for his club: "I feel the Thunder game will show what character of team we have. This game is a must win game for both teams."

Jivens' club lost both game last weekend, leaving the Capital coach a disappointed man: "I thought in the Worcester game we had a bad start to the game and could not recover from it and with the Cheshire game we just switched off. Both were ugly games for us."  

BiG Storage Cheshire Jets v Scottish Rocks

BiG Storage Cheshire Jets and Scottish Rocks meet for the first time this season on Sunday, with BBL Championship points at stake.

Jets go into the weekend on the back of a 106-69 victory at PAWS London Capital, and coach Paul Smith was pleased with the display: "It was a good all round team performance. There is still a long way for us to go but we looked a lot better at both ends of the floor. Chez is putting up the numbers that will catch the eye but it really was our best team effort for some time."

While he hasn't seen the Rocks in action yet this season, Smith is aware of what his team face on Sunday: "I've not seen them this season yet but we know most of their players. They have a very experienced line up and are obviously playing very well at the moment.

"I think the backcourt of Rob Yanders and Blake Shelton is very strong. They have played together on a winning team before and know the league inside out. Yanders, in particular, is a quality all round guard who can run the team and play at both ends of the floor."

Smith recent added forwards Phil Perre and Frank Pifer to his team, and he is delighted with the impact that the pair have made: "The new players are fitting in really well. Phil has brought us loads of energy and intensity at both ends of the floor and Frank has brought us extra size and strength in the paint."

Newcastle Eagles v Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders
Friday 14th November 2008 (7.30pm) @ Newcastle Arena

Newcastle Eagles player-coach Fabulous Flournoy expects a tough game when Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders arrive at the at the Newcastle Arena.

"Riders are a lot better than last year, and I don't think that Rob [Paternostro] has been given enough credit for what he's achieved so far. They're catching teams off guard, and they've been in all their games until the end. Even the losses have been by a couple of points.

“They're not an easy team to play against, they are getting a lot of scoring from Matt Martin and although the big guy needs a bit of time to adjust, they are doing well. Tony Windless is coming off the bench, and showing what a great veteran he is. He's in better shape than last year, and he's giving them the experience they need. Rod Wellington is coming into his own in this league, and their team has adopted Rob's mentality. They are playing with aggression and with a chip on their shoulder. They've got a point to prove, and they'll finish in the top six if they can hold it together and stay fit. They really have a solid team, and I think they'll be in every game, they aren't going to quit."

Flournoy was pleased with his team's display in last week's win against Worthing: "We played well, it wasn't out best or worst game of the season. They had a few players missing, and our depth really helped us win it. It gave the opportunity to play some of the young guys, and give them quality minutes. "It was a good game over-all, and will be good preparation for our two games this weekend. They had good runs at the end of the first three quarters, and they played until the final seconds so I'm pleased with the result."

Despite his side's fine start to the season, Riders coach Rob Paternostro rates his side's trip to Newcastle as their toughest game of the season: "Going up there is a really difficult task. They're the most talented team in the league, they've got a nucleus of players who have won things before and it'll be a real challenge for us. We're a new team, and we have to play against the best side in the country.

"Trey Moore is a great addition for them. I played with him at Birmingham Bullets, and I loved my time as a team-mate of him. He's a good addition, and they have a lot of guys who have been there before. They've got a lot of strength in the paint, with Darius Defoe, Tafari Tony and Lynard Stewart giving them a good inside mix."

BBL highflyers Everton Tigers host newcomers Worthing Thunder on Friday evening as they look to continue their good start to the season.

Tigers go into the game as one of three sides who have only one BBL Championship loss this season, while Thunder have found life tough going in their debut season in the competition, and are one of the bottom of the table with two wins from seven games. Everton coach Tony Garbelotto believes he has a reasonable knowledge of the Thunder team: "My assistant watched them play at Newcastle on Friday evening, and I probably know more about their English players than most coaches as I watched them a few times last season as my nephew Rob [Newson] was coaching them. I've seen Ryan Patten a few times as well, and I know he poses a threat.

"The difficult thing is knowing which Worthing Thunder team will turn up. Will it be the one which beat Sharks and Jets, or the one who were hammered at Newcastle."

Garbelotto has worries of his own at the moment, with several players struggling with injuries: "The important thing for us at the moment is getting Olu [Babalola] into the rotation, and getting Marcus [Bailey], Josh [Gross] and Tony [Dorsey] fully fit again. That's the real focus for me this week."

Worthing coach Gary Smith knows that his team will face a tough test on Merseyside: "Everton has probably the deepest team in the league this year with cover at every position. Tony has them playing well together. On their home court they are even more of a tough proposition, but we'll go there hopeful of causing an upset. We're in better shape than when we played Newcastle, as Jon Woods will be back for us, which makes a big difference to the team and gives us more options in a number of positions, but we'll have to see how the injuries to Colby Bargeman and Dan Wardrope respond this week

"I'm pleased with the way the team kept working last Friday through the adversity of absences and injuries, and if we can carry that through this weekend then I'll be happy."

Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders v Guildford Heat
Saturday 15th November 2008 (7.30) @ John Sandford Centre

Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders will aim to build on last week's victory at previously unbeaten Scottish Rocks when they host Guildford Heat, on Saturday.

Riders coach Rob Paternostro was delighted with the win in Glasgow: "It was a really good win up in Scotland. The really nice thing about it is that after playing well in the first half, they really blitzed us in the third period with a load of threes. But I'm proud of the way we withstood the onslaught and came back together for a great finish."

Paternostro singles out former England international Mike Martin as a vital part of the Heat team: "Like ourselves they've got a lot of newcomers. They've brought in some guys who can really play, but for me Michael Martin is the key. He's been in the league for a long time, and we need to match his energy. He's a real handful, and we have to respect his as he's one of the better players in the league.

Heat coach Paul James is unsurprised that Riders have made such good start to the season: "I watched the Riders play during pre-season and you could see straight away that they would be more competitive this season. Matt Martin and Tommy Swanson looked like good players and a proving to be. Rob is doing a great job in organising the team and having them play with structure and discipline, something they did not have last season. It's going to be really tough to beat them on their floor that's for sure."

Heat's last outing saw them defeat BiG Cheshire Jets 91-88 at The Spectrum, and James wasn't entirely happy with his side's performance: "I thought we made hard work of the Jets game. We put ourselves in good positions several time to make it a comfortable win but we allowed them to get back into the game due to lack of concentration and focus.

Turnovers and free throw percentage continues to be an issue but these are things that we can and defiantly improve on as the season goes on." Guildford have had a weekend off since that victory, and James is unsure whether the break will be good for his team: "Time will tell if the break has been good for us or not. We are looking for our first win on the road so having the break was not ideal. It has a load me to look at a few things and for the players to rest some niggling injuries."  

Worcester Wolves v PAWS London Capital
Saturday 15 November 2008 (7.00pm) @ Worcester Univ

Two of the BBL's newest clubs meet at University of Worcester on Saturday as Worcester Wolves host PAWS London Capital.

Wolves' player-coach Skouson Harker admits that he is going into the game without any real knowledge of the team he will be facing: "I know very little about London. I know they play hard and compete in every game, and we must be ready to match their energy and intensity. It is a very big game for us as we try to move up the table. We will concentrate on our game and try to continue to improve."

Worcester's last game saw them win a high-scoring shoot-out in Worthing, and Harker was pleased with how his team played: "Offensively we had some guys get the job done. It was a lot of fun and I always like these types of games. It is easy to say we play little D, but we get up more shots than most teams, so naturally our opponents get up more shots as well.

But our close outs and shot pressure does need to be more consistent. Thunder did a great job to come back, and they played like they had nothing to lose." Capital coach Milek Jivens knows his team will be in for a tough test at Worcester University on Saturday: "I have not seen Worcester this season, but I have viewed a scouting report on them. They like to put up a lot of points and they have an outstanding player in Anthony Paez. Like I said before, it is not about them any more, it's about us. We have to execute and keep focus. We are improving but not as quick as we would like.

The London side go into the game at the bottom of the table having lost against both Sheffield Sharks and Marshall MK Lions last week, but coach Jivens is refusing to hit the panic button: "In both the Sharks and the Lions game we failed to execute in key moments of the game. Their experience and maturity was the deciding factors in both games. For us to win we have to play well as a unit. At the moment it is gut checking time.

"At this stage we are weighing up our options and considering what is best for the team and the organization. Believe it or not we are not panicking. We are only considering committed players who are willing to fight for the good of the team.  

Worthing Thunder v Sheffield Sharks
Saturday 15 November 2008 (7.00pm) @ Worthing LC

Worthing Thunder will be looking to wrap up their first head-to-head success in their inaugural BBL season as they host Sheffield Sharks on Saturday.

The teams met at the EIS last month, and Thunder shocked the hosts with an 88-85 victory, thanks in a big way to 27 points from Colby Bargeman 22 from Janis Ivanovskis.

Gary Smith, the Thunder coach, knows that Sheffield will be looking for revenge on Saturday: "We know Sharks will be fired up for this game having gone up there and beaten them, so we will be prepared for that. The key to the win up there was that we stayed in the game early on and we must do that every game.

We have a tendency to not start playing until the second half and by then the game is out of reach. If we can get going from the tip-off then I fancy us against anyone, especially at home.

"They have a number of versatile players, capable of playing inside and out, like Chris Sanders, James Whyte and Matt Gorman, so we need to be alert to that and not relax when they step outside the three point arc as they can all hit that shot. It's possible they may have a new player in by the weekend too so we will need to watch for that.

"Although we will be at home, in a way they have an advantage as they don't have a game Friday night so will be travelling down fresh, whereas our guys won't have got home from Everton until early Saturday morning! That's just part and parcel of being in the BBL though so we have to play through that and come out ready to play, and I'm sure we will!"

Sharks coach Atiba Lyons is looking for a better performance when his side meet Thunder for the second time this season: "They are a very talented team and came to Sheffield and played a great game and beat us. Ryan Patton runs the show for the Thunder and Ivanovskis was very strong for them inside.

"Colby Bargeman is also shooting the ball very well for them. Last time we played we had a very poor defensive quarter in the second and can't let that happen again. This team is too good to take possessions off let alone quarters." Sharks go into the game on the back of a weekend where they defeat PAWS London Capital but lost at BiG Storage Cheshire Jets, leaving Lyons with mixed feelings: "I felt the Capital game was one of those games everyone contributed and played hard. Matt Gorman had 22 points in 19 minutes which is a great day's work."

The Cheshire game was an extremely tough game on both sides. They came out very well but we were able to withstand their initial push and stay even in the first quarter. We fought back in and took a slight lead in the fourth, but we missed too many free throws in the clutch and a few open looks from three didn't drop for us. It was essentially a one possession game and we could have won but it didn't fall for us. We missed our free-throws and they made theirs."

PAWS London Capital v BiG Storage Cheshire Jets
Sunday 16 November 2009 (4.00pm) @ Capital City Academy

Sunday 16th November 2008 (5.00pm) @ Kelvin Hall

It will be the second meeting between the teams this season, with Eagles defeating the BBL newcomers 98-84 on their own court. A 35-14 second quarter proved to be the difference between the teams as Newcastle continued their good start to the season. Jonathon Woods led all scorers in the game with 22 points for the home side, while Trey Moore led the Eagles' scoring with 19.

Eagles go into the game on the back of a 112-92 victory against BiG Storage Cheshire Jets, which saw them reach the semi-finals of the BBL Cup, and coach Fab Flournoy was pleased with the result: "It was a good hard fought win. I don't think Jets' record is a true reflection of how good they are. They played extremely well in the first half, and Paul Smith did a fantastic job to prepare them. We were flat in the same way we were against Sheffield, but we got our act together in the second half, and played a lot of good defence which helped us win the game.

"It was a one-off game, and we could have lost it, so I'm delighted about going through. It was great to see Phil Perre back in the BBL, and full credit to Jets management team for getting him back. Darius Defoe and Andrew Bridge were phenomenal for us, it was great to see three English players, who learned their trade in this country, being key to the game.

Flournoy expects another tough game when Worthing arrive in the north east: "They're a new team and they are feeling things out. They've playing well and hard with a good system, they are just lacking a bit of experience in the BBL. They have all the right components, and they are there or thereabout in most games. They're coming together nicely, and they remind me of Plymouth in their first season. It'll be a difficult game, and I think the word is out that we're not playing well at home. They'll be aware of that, and we need to make sure we're well prepared for the game."

Thunder's poor home record continued on Sunday with a 116-110 loss against Worcester Wolves, and coach Gary Smith is looking for an improvement in their form: "We have to get out of this habit of starting games slowly, we keep making life more difficult for ourselves than we have to. We make the game exciting for our home crowds, but personally I would prefer it if we were up at half-time and then pulled away in the second!"

Smith is facing up to arguably Thunder's tough game of the season: "Newcastle away has to be one of the most daunting games on the schedule! From our point of view it's a long journey up to the North East and then you have to face the current champions in a big arena. It will be the first experience in a big venue for the team this season so it will be interesting to see how they respond. Hopefully they will enjoy the atmosphere, relax and play loose, as we have nothing to lose.

"Nobody is really expecting anything from us up there, so there is not the weight of expectation we have at home. On the other hand, we also have our 100 percent league away record to protect! Seriously though, we have a lot of respect for the Eagles and what they have achieved both off and on the court and they are the model all clubs should ultimately aspire to. You look at their line-up and it's impossible to focus on one individual as any one of them could step up on a given night. Saying that, we have some talented individuals too so we will always have a chance as long as we allow ourselves to stay in the game."

Sheffield Sharks v London Capital
Friday 7 November 2008 (7.30pm) @ EIS Sheffield

Sheffield Sharks player-coach Atiba Lyons is looking for his team to bounce back after two narrow losses last week, Sharks lost 78-74 at Guildford in the BBL Cup last Wednesday before going down 84-75 at Jelson Homes Leicester Riders in the BBL Championship, and the Sharks player-coach was upset with the way his team played: "This week was very disappointing. In each of our losses we were there at the end and didn't make the appropriate plays we need to seal the victory.

"Against Leicester we had our opportunities to seal the game and we didn't, and to their credit they did. Their guards made some clutch shots and their big guys made some crucial defensive plays. I knew it would be a dog-fight and come down to the wire. Unfortunately we didn't come up with the ball when we needed to our finish plays off."

Lyons hasn't seen the London side in action yet this season, but he knows his team will face a difficult game on Friday evening: "I haven't had a chance to see them play. I know they have made some changes recently. From previous years they play extremely hard defense and I know they have a lot of talent on that team.

"They have a very deep team and night after night different players step up and make contributions. It will be a very interesting game."

Capital's coach Milek Jivens is more concerned about how his team are playing at the moment than worry about the Sharks: "I have not seen the Sharks first hand, but I have had a scouting report given to me about their good and bad points. At this point of time for us we have to focus on more than one and two players. We have to stop worrying what other teams got and make them worry about us."

Two sides looking to bounce back from defeats in their last games meet at Capital City Academy on Saturday evening when PAWS London Capital host Marshall MK Lions in the BBL Championship.

The teams have already met on the same court on the opening weekend of the season, with Lions recording a 100-83 victory. A 30-12 second period was key to the Lions as they chalked up their fifth win in as many games against the London club. Veteran centre Mike New led all scoring with 24 for Lions, while Graham McCallums led the Londoners with 18.

Capital coach Milek Jivens knows that his team will face a tough time when they host the Lions: "I believe the Milton Keynes game will be a physical one . Last time we meet the Lions they did all the little things that kept us on the back foot. They had a good all around team display and their veterans prove decisive. We wore not able to match them for four quarters. At this level you can not afford to fall asleep at any part of the game and expect to win."

Capital's last game saw them go down at home against Scottish Rocks, and Jivens was disappointed with the way the game was called the by the referees: "My assistant was ejected for the game. I did not understand the situations it was bizarre. It almost seemed personal, but hey this is a learning experience for all of us. We just have to take one game at a time. We will learn for it and move on."

Meanwhile, Lions missed out on the BBL Championship points in a thriller at Plymouth Raiders last week before seeing their defence of the BBL Cup end at the first hurdle with a home loss against Everton Tigers.

Coach Vince Macauley knows his team will have to play well to repeat their win in north west London: "I have seen tape of Capital since we last played them and I know what to expect which is a group of guys trying to play their hardest."

However, the Lions play-caller refuses to single out any individuals on Jivens' team: "I don't think you identify players with Capitals, their sum is greater than the individuals. They play a team defensive concept and are all happy to be on the floor working hard."

BiG Storage Cheshire Jets v Sheffield Sharks
Sunday 9 November 2008 (5.30pm) @ Northgate Arena