Fabulous Flournoy insists his players and fellow coaches have responded positively to change during a challenging season for the Newcastle Eagles.

And the BBL’s longest serving coach admitted there is no place for those who refuse to embrace the future.

Newcastle’s move to the Eagles Community Arena has coincided with a series of peaks and troughs in terms of performance.

But with his side sitting second in the final month of the regular season, Flournoy is content his players are where they need to be at a critical stage of the campaign.

“The things that have got us here are not the same things that will take us to the next level,” said the experienced New Yorker.

“We’re in a pivotal, transitional period and the things that we’ve done well – or done badly – in the past don’t matter now.

“That was a different era. Now we have to develop and evolve and I include myself and my fellow coaches in that.

“I’ve seen it all in my time here and change was always going to come. You have to get on the bus or get left behind.”

At times this season it has appeared that various members of Flournoy’s roster have missed the bus altogether.

But Newcastle host Manchester Giants on Friday in confident mood following back-to-back road wins and a timely surge in form.

“I think, to those on the outside, our situation just after Christmas looked a lot worse than it actually was,” added Flournoy.

“We moved to the ECA and lost our rhythm at the same time as we lost Victor Moses through injury.

“We had to find a different way of playing just as I felt that we’d found our style and hit our stride.

“That threw us off a little and probably blurred the overall picture. But it was never as bad as people were making out.

“In all honesty it’s been a huge learning curve for everyone this season and especially for those new players not familiar with the Eagles.

“But right now we are where I want us to be – we’re in a strong position and we have gained some valuable momentum.”

If London Lions remain in pole position to lift the BBL Championship crown then a Newcastle win at the league leaders on Sunday could put some long overdue pressure on the capital’s pacesetters.

But the Eagles must overcome Manchester 48 hours earlier with the Giants gearing up for their third appearance at the ECA.

In-form Ingus Bankevics heads to Tyneside on the back of a 29-point haul against Plymouth.

And Manchester’s Latvian star looks increasingly dangerous from downtown after sinking seven triples against the hapless Raiders.

Tickets for this Friday’s game are on sale now: