Marc Steutel has hailed the ‘ultimate professional’ after Malcolm Delpeche put pen to paper on a fresh Newcastle Eagles deal.
The experienced centre emerged as a key cog in the wheel of a new-look roster that winged its way to the 2024 Playoff semi-finals.
And with Steutel keen to retain a core of homegrown talent, the decision to bring back Delpeche was a no-brainer.
“We really wanted to return Malcolm for this season and we’re thrilled that we’ve been able to,” said Newcastle’s playcaller.
“Building around a British core was key and we saw some excellent play from Malcolm last season.
“Knowing how much he wants to make an impact in both Super League Basketball and European North Basketball League (ENBL) competitions is so important.
“That desire and commitment is what we need.
“Malcolm is an ultimate professional and wants to do all he can to help the team win.
“His defence, rebounding, finishing and leadership will be huge for us this season as we look to achieve our aims”
Delpeche proved to be a pedigree performer off the bench during his debut season for the men in black.
But there’s a feeling within the Eagles camp that there’s still much more to come from the former Bristol favourite.
Delpeche arrived on Tyneside last summer averaging double figures during each of his previous two seasons in a Flyers jersey.
And the 6ft 9in star will be hoping to better his six points and four rebounds per game in an Eagles jersey across the 2023/24 domestic campaign.
“I’m absolutely buzzing to get back to work with this club, grateful for another opportunity, and looking forward to the season”, said Delpeche.
“Last year was step in the right direction for me, I’m looking forward to picking up where we left off, and bring some further success to the club.
“I definitely felt the support from our fans from beginning to end, and I’m so thankful for that.
“The rumors were true, the Newcastle Eagles certainly have the best fans in the league!
“It means a lot to be playing in front of such a loyal and impactful fan base.
“Our first season in the ENBL was real progress, but I want to finish better than last year. I believe that we can go very far both domestically and internationally.
“We have some valuable experience under our belts from last season, all that’s needed now is to build from that.”
Dual national Delpeche was a constant thorn in the side of Newcastle’s ENBL rivals and always looked a threat on the European stage.
“Malcolm really made his presence felt during key periods of the ENBL campaign and I’m sure he’ll relish another crack at that competition,” added Stuetel.
Delpeche joins fellow returnee Josh Ward-Hibbert on Tyneside with Stuetel striving to complement new faces with tried and tested talent.
Both players are expected to feature when the Eagles’ pre-season programme tips off next month — the men in black line up against pathway partners Newcastle University Knights (Sep 8), Surrey 89ers (Sep 15) and the Flyers (Sep 17).
Tickets for the pre-season action and a first-of-its-kind team launch event are all available now from the box office.
