Bristol Flyers head coach Andreas Kapoulas has warned the club now has “a target on our back” after its best ever start in the British Basketball League (BBL).
The Flyers are undefeated after their opening four games, their best return at this stage in a season since they joined the league eight years ago. The team’s latest triumph came with a resilient 91-85 statement win over defending champions Leicester Riders in front of a sell-out crowd at the SGS College Arena on Saturday night.
The Flyers shot the lights out from three-point range early on, with forward Thomas Bell III living up to his name, going 3/3 from beyond the arc, as Bristol raced to an early double digit lead.
Leicester, led by the most decorated coach in BBL history in Rob Paternostro, proved their championship pedigree, and grinded their way back into it.
The Riders shot 18 first-half free throws in what became a choppy, physical contest between two teams known for their defence, with Flyers big man Malcolm Delpeche going at it with his opposite numbers Mo Walker and Darien Nelson-Henry.
The lead was cut to two in the second quarter, before Jelani Watson-Gayle - who led the way in scoring for the Flyers, dropping 18 points off the bench - stepped up with two big buckets down the stretch. A big-time three and a tough contested runner helped keep the Riders at arm's length, 50-43 at the half.
With a triple threat of new playmaker Derryck Thornton, Team GB international Patrick Whelan and former NBA G-League player Marc Loving, the Riders continued to push and grabbed their first lead of the game in the third period.
The Flyers put together some runs of their own in response, with Brandon Mahan draining back-to-back three-pointers to keep their noses in front heading into the deciding frame.
The Riders regained the lead in the fourth, when a loose ball spilled conveniently into the hands of hot hand Whelan who duly made the three-ball.
The Flyers though showed fighting spirit in the face of adversity, with the players often forming on court huddles during breaks in play in a great display of togetherness.
Some active Bristol defence produced some crucial stops, including two big blocks from Bell and Leslee Smith.
On the offensive end, another huge three from Watson-Gayle helped regain the lead, while some nice moves inside the paint from point guard Michael Miller had the Riders defence on skates.
The Flyers saw out the game well, with Watson-Gayle icing some clutch free-throws to help edge his side to victory.
Coach Kapoulas told BristolLive he was “very proud” of the grit his players displayed, adding they had shown the rest of the league Bristol will be a tough match-up for any team this season.
“Even when [Leicester] were able to cut it down to a couple of points we still had the mental toughness to get it back to seven at the end of the half.
“We talked all week about that mentality, because when you play a team like [Leicester], you know they’re going to find their own runs as well, it was something we were expecting. It definitely helped us having that strong start, to give us that belief that we needed.
“I think for us this game was critical, because it was also [a chance] to see how we responded to a team like them coming back at us. They led as well in the second half, and we still found that toughness and that resilience to go out to win that game.
“It was an important test for our team and we passed it, but there are a lot of challenges ahead of us obviously for games to come.”
Having played all their opening games in their home gym, The Flyers now head out for a three-game road trip, starting at bottom of the pile Newcastle Eagles on Friday, and culminating with a re-match against The Riders.
Despite Newcastle’s winless start to the year, Kapoulas warned no team in the BBL could afford to be underestimated. The Greek coach added things can change “very quickly” in the BBL, referencing a previous season where the Flyers started 1-11, only to go on a 10 game win streak and ultimately make the play-offs.
“Playing at home has been great. To start the season like that, with a fantastic atmosphere and the sell-outs, but certainly playing away will give us another indication of the team that we have and how we can put performances in, in a more hostile environment if you want to call it that.
“Newcastle is going to be a really tough game, they haven't had the best of starts, but they are a very talented team and they will be looking for a big win.
“I think after tonight, we put a target on our back. We’re 4-0, everyone will want to give us our first loss. Certainly playing at home has helped us, with the fans being our sixth man, and now we’ve got to prove ourselves on the road.”
Watson-Gayle echoed his coach’s sentiment that their upcoming opponents around the league would now be looking to inflict the first defeat of the Flyers’ campaign.
“That’s a good thing though”, the guard said, “It means we have to make sure that we stay on our toes and keep playing our game. It’s better to have a target on your back because then you’re going to get everyone’s best game, and it’s a bigger test.”
