The Bristol Flyers have an opportunity to show they are legitimate British Basketball League (BBL) title contenders against defending champions Leicester Riders, according to star Michael Miller.
The red hot Flyers are undefeated after their opening three games of the season, following double-digit victories over Sheffield Sharks and South West rivals Plymouth City Patriots and an impressive one-point win over Manchester Giants on opening night.
The club, still basking in last week’s approval of plans for for a new 3,600 seat home arena by Ashton Gate Stadium, now turn their attention to a Riders side who notched up their sixth BBL chip at London’s O2 Arena in May in front of 15,824 people - a record attendance for the UK game.
The Riders go into Saturday night’s game at the SGS College Arena in Filton after a stuttering start to the defence of their crown. They lost their opener against the London Lions - the team they beat in the last season’s finals - before rebounding with a 19-point blowout of the Surrey Scorchers.
Point guard Miller nearly grabbed a triple double - 18 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists - in that close Flyers victory over Manchester, who have since gone on a four-game win streak.
Speaking at team shootaround ahead of the game, the 6ft4 playmaker said: “We want to approach every game with the intent of proving we’re a contender, because every game matters, but especially having the defending champs coming in this weekend, it’s going to be a big test to our team, and the potential that we have.”
Miller joined his teammates at City Hall to hear Bristol City Council's decision to give the Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter the green light, with the American saying the players broke out into applause when a majority of councillors voted the plans through
Now in his second year with the Flyers after joining from Dutch side Den Helder Suns in 2021, Miller told BristolLive: “Ever since first coming to Bristol these plans have been in the air, and how big it would be for the club and just basketball in Bristol in general, seeing as there is no big venue like that, it’s amazing.”
Miller spent two years at the University of North Texas during his US college basketball career before making the move to Europe.
A fan of the Phoenix Suns in the NBA and their veteran court general Chris Paul, who he is backing to win his first championship ring this year, Miller said he hadn't had to make too much of an adjustment to the UK game.
“It’s not too different. It’s really competitive, more fast-paced. Obviously you have different FIBA rules from the States, as far as being able to hit the ball out the rim after it’s touched the rim, and certain things like that.
“Other than that, from a competitive aspect, it’s all the same, if you’re a competitor and you love the game, it’s nothing too different.”
Miller added that he had tried to model aspects of his favourite player and fellow point guard Paul’s game on his own.
“The way he leads his team and generates winning, obviously he hasn’t been able to get it done as far as getting a championship - but we won’t talk about that! But he is definitely somebody that I would support any up and coming player at point guard to emulate their game after.”
