[01 APR 10] CRUSADER NEWS

 Tees Valley Mohawks Match Preview

Tees Valley Mohawks vs. Coventry Crusaders

 

Where: University of Teesside , 20 Southfield Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BZ.

When: Saturday 3^rd April 2010

Tip Off: 6:30pm

Competition: EBL Division One

 

By Adam Manning

COVENTRY CRUSADERS finish off their 2009/10 campaign on Saturday evening when they travel up to the north east looking to do the double over a second from bottom Tees Valley Mohawks side without a win in six.

Coach Neely will take a side minus Dan Taylor and Joe Francombe as he looks for similar fortunes to what they experienced on Teesside last season (77-88) to bring an end to four straight defeats.

This fixture sees two of Division One’s most clinical free throwers go head to head: Crusaders captain John Olinger has made the most in front of the basket executing 86.73 per cent of his opportunities, with Mohawks’ Steven Leven posing the greatest threat to Olinger’s accolade at 79.61 per cent.

The Crusaders defence will have to be on form to stop the useful offensive partnership struck up between forwards Steven Leven and new American acquisition Nathan Connolly who is yet to face Crusaders this season.

Connolly has averaged 23.7 per game since playing his first game for Mohawks in their first away win of the season at London Mets on 20^th February, while ever present Leven has over 400 points to his name as the league’s third top scorer.

And Neely believes his side will have to over come a different challenge to the one they faced when they last played Mohawks in the 110-93 victory back in January if they’re to finish positively and round off with what would be only their second away win of the season.

 “They have many guys who can shoot the ball well from 3 point range as well as break defenders down off the dribble. The match we played in Coventry was tight just up until the end so I expect a hard fought game” the head coach said.

“They didn't have their new USA player or their top big man when we last played them, so we'll see a different team”.

“This is our last match opportunity to finish well. This may or may not mean a victory, but if we go and play as we are capable than there is a good chance of a win”.

Crusaders team expected to face Tees Valley Mohawks:

5 John Olinger (c) (guard); 7 Matt Smith (power forward), 10 Simon Payne (guard/forward);

11 Stephen Danso (guard); 12 Dave Edden (forward); 13 Ryann Samuel (forward);

14 Kane Hudson (guard/forward); 15 Ben Timms (centre/forward).

 

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