It was a disappointing and damaging home loss to Manchester on Friday night by 98-95 that Newcastle Eagles head coach Marc Steutel gave his assessment on before his side travel to Surrey Sports Park on Sunday for a 2pm tip-off against the Surrey 89ers.
“I thought we had control of the game for 35 minutes. I thought the last period of the third quarter hurt us in that last minute or so. We’re plus eleven at one point and then fouls cost us. Thought Manny (Kanwei) makes a really smart foul that gets upgrade to an unsportsmanlike.”
“Two or three times were ahead and last man back makes a play for them and a foul and there’s no unsportsmanlike so it’s frustrating. I was really surprised by Terrell’s (Burden) technical foul. Some of the contact he took throughout the game and he carried on playing.”
“I don’t think his reaction was different to multiple reactions in the game. In a three-point game there were a couple of possessions that didn’t quite go our way. We scored 25 points in the final quarter but they scored 33.”
“The pace they in which they were able to get the ball back down the floor after a score for us that hurt us a bit. We tried to establish our defence but every time we tried to be physical on defence resulted in them getting free throws and the clock being stopped.”
Overall though Steutel took a lot of positives from Friday’s game and clearly and perhaps rightly believed his side had deserved more than they got from it.
“I thought we played a good basketball game. We kept the scoreboard ticking over. There were some defensive possessions that hurt us but there were some really good ones where we achieved what we wanted to tactically and then finished the play.”
“We had some really clean looks from the perimeter and some chippies and we just couldn’t finish particularly late on. Manchester are a good team and we needed to put together a better performance since we saw them last and we did that.”
“We were desperate for the win and it stings and it hurts that we didn’t get it but we have to turn our attentions to Surrey on Sunday right now.”
The Eagles are looking to reverse on to Surrey what Manchester did to them on Friday. The sides have matched up on three occasions this season and Newcastle have come out victorious in all those meetings. It includes an 88-82 win on the 89ers home court back on December 30th, 2025.
“Surrey we’ve seen them three times already this season. They’re talented. Another team that plays really well within their structure. Their ability to put pressure on the ring with a couple of the guards.”
“Kino Lily Jr is just having a historic year the way he’s shooting the ball from the three-point line. Ronald Polite is somebody I really respect. We know Surrey are big on the offensive glass which we have to deal with.”
“We’ve got to make sure there’s no hangover from Friday’s loss. We’ve got to make sure guys get recovered and get ready for the battle on Sunday in what is another crucial and vital match-up.”
The Eagles have Josh Ward-Hibbert back in their ranks following injury and they hope his leadership along with the scoring power of the likes of Ray’Sean Taylor and Gus Okafor who had 19 and 17 points respectively on Friday can help them to sweep the 89ers in the league series.
The Sunday afternoon game is free to watch live on DAZN.
