BBL: Fragile Leeds Force have chance to make poor season '˜rock' in remaining fixtures
An all-Glasgow starting five helped Scotland overcome fierce rivals England in the opening contest of the tournament in Australia yesterday, and Leeds play-caller Nelson is expecting his struggling squad to cash in on their chance to take on a Rocks roster absent of six star players.
“Glasgow have a weakened roster with players representing their countries at the Commonwealth Games, so we know this a big chance for us to compete,” Nelson said. “They still have plenty of quality available though, and we’ll have to be at our very best to have a chance of taking the win.”
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Hide AdA blunt Nelson pulled no punches in his assessment of Leeds’ recent success attacking the basket, and insists his faltering Force must make every game count with the finishing line of a miserable season firmly in sight.
“We’re atrocious offensively, and that’s had a lasting impact across the season – we have to improve in that area and it’s our number one target for the coming weeks.
“Each game before the end of the season is a huge opportunity for us to build some momentum going into the off-season. Every player on the court has a chance to prove themselves, and they will want to leave a lasting impression before we make decisions on the playing squad going into next year.”
Despite being boosted by a scorching Yorkshire derby performance from new signing Mo Williams, Force play host to Glasgow with only eight available players – a total which includes guard trio George Brownell, Vytautas Kamarunas and captain Isaac Mourier who all carry lower-body injuries.
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Hide AdWith the season’s end around the corner, the Irishman hopes Williams’ veteran presence can lead the valiant Force to a win for all their efforts across a difficult year.
Nelson said: “We’re delighted to have Mo, he’s relentlessly positive and a breath of fresh air for us right now and nobody wants to play him – we’re lucky to have him playing here and representing Leeds and the local community.”
Nelson added: “The guys who are still here after everything this season have great character – they’re good players and even better people. They deserve a lot of credit and we hope they’ll be a part of Leeds Force for a long time.”