After Sheffield Sharks 104-84 defeat of Marshall MK Lions last night, we are now on the brink of an electrifying weekend, with BBL Championship action aplenty, and the first leg of the BBL Trophy Semi Final, between last year’s first and second placed teams, Newcastle Eagles and Everton Tigers. Before the Eagles test, the Tigers will be focussing on tonight’s match up with Glasgow Rocks, who also play on Sunday against Marshall MK Lions. The Eagles also have another game on their minds at the moment, as they must first deal with Essex Pirates in Southend tomorrow night, before the Tigers test. Another team facing a double header is Airwaves Plymouth Raiders, as they take on PAWS London Capital tomorrow evening, followed by Guildford Heat on Sunday. The Capital haven’t got an easy ride themselves though, as they visit Cheshire Jets on Sunday, who will have been in Leicester against Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders, the night before.

The semi final is undoubtedly important for both sides due to a number of factors. Although the Eagles have won thirteen of the fifteen games between the sides, the Eagles were knocked out of the BBL Cup at the Semi Final stage by Everton last season, as the Merseyside outfit went on to win the competition, but the Eagles then sent the Tigers crashing out of the BBL Trophy at the same stage of the competition, as well as having the ‘last laugh’ with an 84-87 Playoff Final win over the Tigers, which came down to a last gasp three pointer from the now-retired former Team GB Point Guard Richard Midgley, who was at Everton last year after a very brief spell with the Eagles.

The game is made more fascinating by the fact that Trey Moore, who won the Molten BBL Player of the Season Award last year after featuring for the Eagles, has recently joined the Tigers, and has lit up the scoreboard since his arrival, averaging 20.9 points per game. Olu Babalola will also be up against his former club once again, as he won everything on offer in British Basketball with the Eagles during his spell there from 2005 until 2008, before moving to Everton prior to last season.

 Tigers and GB Assistant coach, Tony Garbelotto, said that other than the fact that he was the man in charge at the Eagles from 2000-2002, there is something else which makes this game in particular against his former employers, that bit more emotional, as the Eagles have recently returned former Tyneside hero and Team GB skipper, Andrew Sullivan to their squad. He explained: ‘It will be an emotional game as it always is for me when I go to Newcastle, as this will be the first time I have faced Andrew (Sullivan) as an opposing coach.  For us we need to be ready to stand up to their fast starts at the Arena and to keep both Smith and Chapman as quite as possible as they are playing incredibly at this moment.’

The winners of the two leg semi-final progress to the BBL Trophy Final, on Sunday 21st March at Guildford Spectrum. Tickets are selling fast, so for more information or to get your ticket now, click here.