Manchester Giants star Ingus Bankevics has called on his teammates to return to their early season form by stopping Bristol Flyers’ sixth man in tonight’s game..
Yorick Williams’ side lost twice last weekend, in the BBL cup to Sheffield Sharks and in the league to Leicester Riders to extend their losing run to five games.
Bankevics has attempted to analyse his team’s play so they can stop the rot and return to winning ways down south.
“We made a good start but now we’ve had some losses,” he said.
“I can’t say that we have played differently. But I think in our first games there was more passing on offence and we found free shots.
“But in the last few games we have tried to play more one-on-one, which makes it easier for teams to play against us.”
“On defence, sometimes we have forgotten about help and transition, and haven’t stopped fast-breaks to prevent easy points.”
Both sides have some of the leagues top defensive players this season however, as Giants and Flyers boast two of the league’s top three shot blockers in Barry Webster (1.8 per-game) and Mathias Seilund (1.7)
Bristol Flyers have some good form coming into the game having won two of their last three, after initially waiting five games to pick up their first win.
The Flyers have also won two of their three BBL meetings with the Giants, but lost the last meeting 76-81 in February this year.
Additionally, the Giants have some unfinished business with the Flyers, as it was the Bristol side that edged the Giants out of the Play-Off spots on the last day of the last BBL season.
Bankevics is under no illusions on how tough this away tie will be, and knows the Giants will have to perform well to return to winning ways.
“Bristol play well at home, because the fans are really close and sometimes that helps them, like a sixth man.
“We need to stop them getting easy baskets on the fast-brake, and need box out.”
Image courtesy of Manchester Giants via YouTube, with thanks.
