BBL Team Of The Week – Week 13
We’ve two debutantes this week, but most importantly, there’s a very strong British presence too.
Damon Huffman (Newcastle Eagles; pictured)
The Eagles’ playmaker produced one of the best performances of the BBL season so far and the best of the weekend by some distance as his team moved back to the top of the table. The guard, who is rapidly looking like a combo of the highest quality, amassed a performance valuation score of 35, after pouring in 36 points, including a stunning eight triples as he cut down London Lions at Crystal Palace. However, he didn’t just have the hot hand from downtown, he gathered six rebounds, a fabulous five steals, three assists and perhaps most impressively, never spilled the ball once all night. This is the third time Huffman has appeared, having also been in the team during weeks 7 and 10.
Andrew Wedemire (Glasgow Rocks)
It’s a first appearance of the season in our line-up for the Rocks’ player, after he helped his team snap their rather worrying winless run by crushing Mersey Tigers at home to rack up a long overdue December victory at the fourth attempt. Wedemire produced a hugely efficient display as the Rocks bounced back from the disappointment of a rotten road loss at One Health Sharks Sheffield 48 hours earlier. He sunk six of seven from the floor, as well as adding seven boards, two assists, two blocks and a steal in a great all-round performance.
Gareth Murray (Glasgow Rocks)
It’s a third appearance of the season for the Scottish forward having also appeared during weeks one and eight. He also helped the Rocks to their biggest win so far at the Emirates Arena, after producing the second best display by any player over the weekend with a very efficient shooting performance both sides of the three-point line. Murray was six of eight inside the arc and also sunk a trio of shots from long-range on his way to 21 points. He completed an excellent night of work with seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and no turnovers.
Ben Eaves (Manchester Giants)
It’s a hearty congratulations to the British forward who takes his debut place in our starting five, having posted a superb double-double performance in a thrilling win for Giants against Cheshire Phoenix in the north-west derby. Playing in his rookie BBL season having switched from Apoel in Cyprus, Eaves produced his best display in a Giants vest with 20 points and 15 rebounds. He also came up with a number of important defensive plays too, conjuring up four huge blocks to ensure Giants claimed successive wins after a worrying losing streak of late.
David Watts (Manchester Giants)
The forward joins his team-mate in our frontcourt having also helped to wrap up a win against Cheshire Phoenix. Watts previously appeared during week two, and makes a return having posted a typically impressive inside-outside, all-action performance. He helped to lift his team to victory thanks to 19 points which included three triples, a perfect four of four from the free-throw line, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and no turnovers.
Off The Bench – Darius Defoe (Newcastle Eagles), Kareem Maddox (Newcastle Eagles), Gabe Haskins (Cheshire Phoenix), Zaire Taylor (Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders), BJ Holmes (One Health Sharks Sheffield)
