Newcastle Eagles’ player-coach Fab Flournoy has been handed the Molten BBL Coach of the Month award for December.

No stranger to the accolade, Flournoy picks up yet another award having led his team to six wins in seven games during the period.

He was one of four head coaches who only tasted defeat once during December, the others being Rob Paternostro (Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders), Paul James (Worcester Wolves) and Creon Raftopoulos (Surrey Heat).

However, Flournoy presided over twice as many victories as his peers to help the Eagles back to the top of the BBL Championship and successfully tip-off the defence of their BBL Trophy.

After opening up with a win at Cheshire Phoenix, the Eagles experienced their only loss of the month the following weekend with a disappointing defeat at Worcester Wolves.

Then, without the services of injured talisman Charles Smith, they found themselves down by double digits at Raiders just 24 hours later and with only a few minutes left on the game clock. But, with Flournoy leading by example, he helped to dig the Eagles out of an almighty hole and they escaped with a precious victory and have never looked back.

They then followed this up with a trio of league wins against Surrey Heat, London Lions and Manchester Giants, before wrapping up a fabulous month and indeed wonderful calendar year, by cruising into the BBL Trophy quarter-finals after sweeping aside Durham Wildcats in the north-east derby.

Flournoy and the Eagles will next be in action at the BBL Cup Final at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham on Sunday 13th January when they defend their title against Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders.