Manchester Giants’ victory over London Lions on Thursday shows how Yorick Williams is starting to settle into what Olu Babalola calls the “hardest job in basketball.”
The Giants ended their six-game losing streak after coming from behind to win 90-82 away to the Lions, and now must focus on Sunday’s home game against the Plymouth Raiders.
Giants forward Babalola has sympathised with the difficulty of the player-coach job Williams has, while quickly turning attention to the Raiders clash.
“Having played for three player-coaches now, it’s the hardest job in basketball. It’s almost impossible to do both at just as high a level as if you were just focusing on one,” Babalola said.
“There is so much we have to do as a team in order to start winning. So much. But I think we will get there eventually.
“Plymouth have great talent. They have strong and big guards who can really shoot the ball. So the win we have against them means nothing for this upcoming game.”
Yorick Williams’ side have already recorded a 95-89 victory against the Raiders at the Trafford Sportsdome in the second game of this season.
In fact, the Giants have won their last five games against the Raiders, and will have hopes of extending this run.
If they can defeat the bottom of the table side, the Giants will record back-to-back wins for the first time since the opening two games of the season.
Going into this week’s round of fixtures these two sides held BBL’s two longest winless runs, and Plymouth face Leicester Riders on Friday looking to follow the Giants in ending their losing run.
Despite this tough start to season, Williams remains confident of building an exciting side for the future in his player-coach role.
“I’m just taking it one week at a time, one day if you like,” the Manchester-born coach said.
“I am finding it interesting and exciting and I’m learning a lot from other coaches around the league and they have given me lots of advice.
“Once we start believing in each other and fix the mistakes we make, we are going to be really good.
“This is year one of many so I won’t look at the losses and start panicking, we have got time. Everyone understands it is not a one-year thing.”
Image courtesy of Manchester Giants via YouTube, with thanks.
