BBL 2013/14 Preview: Manchester Giants

After coming agonisingly close to a playoff place last season the Manchester Giants will have set their sights on gaining an invite to the post-season festivities this time around.

A last gasp loss to the London Lions in their penultimate game was a bitter pill to swallow in their return to the Premier League of British basketball after a ten year absence. The campaign started so well with back-to-back victories as they made a 2-0 start to the season but struggled with consistency throughout and found wins away from home hard to come by. It took the side three months before finally claiming a victory on the road as they crushed the Mersey Tigers by 31 points.

With seven players returning from last season’s squad the Giants are poised to take major steps towards a high playoff seed and will look to enjoy a prolonged run in the BBL cup and Trophy competitions. New additions Rob Marsden and Iker Amuchastegui will look to give the side solid production in the low post and allow the team to be less reliant on the 3-point shot. The Giants were one of the best shooting teams from long-distance last season making more than eight per game at a shade over 35%; good enough was third best in the league.

The Giants will also hope to make improvements at the defensive end of the floor where they conceded 83 points per game which put them in the middle of the pack. However when compared with the treble winning Leicester Riders who held their opponents to just under 69 points per game – it still shows that there is plenty of work to be done. After an up-and-down season which included a seven-game losing streak during November the Giants players will feel like their honeymoon period is over and will want to mount a serious challenge for all silverware on offer this year.

Several players were awarded with places in the BBL team of the week for their standout performances throughout the year. Both James Jones and David Watts received four selections whilst Stefan Gill & Keith Page were selected once each. Giants centre Mike Bernard is a mismatch on a nightly basis and a willing passer out of the double-teams that he is sure to draw. David Aliu and Yorrick Williams will look to provide solid veteran leadership at both ends of the floor with the latter eager to impress on his return to the city where he started his illustrious career.

Callum Jones will miss the start of the season after undergoing ankle surgery in the summer but once he returns will hopefully bring the same spark that he did off the bench and help to aid their transition game. Antony Purcell will hope to get more opportunities this season and they will look to receive some contributions from up and coming players thank to the club’s newly launched academy partnership with Myerscough College.

On paper the Giants seem poised to have a great season with a splendid mix of youth and experience plus a combination of size and speed right the way through the squad. The challenge now comes for the players to take those attributes and put them into a winning formula on the court.

Manchester Giants roster:

Guards: Stefan Gill, James Jones, Callum Jones, Keith Page, Yorrick Williams, Anthony Purcell

Forwards: David Watts, Mike Bernard, David Aliu, Iker Amuchastegui, Rob Marsden

Predictions for Manchester Giants:

BBL Championship: 4th
BBL Playoffs: Finalists
BBL Trophy: Semi Finals
BBL Cup: Winners