Marc Steutel has urged his in-form Eagles to push even harder as they face a tough December schedule while defending a six-game winning streak.
The November Molten Kevin Cadle Coach of the Month — the first time Newcastle’s head coach has earned the honor — guided the men in black to a hard-fought victory over fierce rivals Leicester Riders on Friday.
However, Steutel expressed frustration with a lackluster second-half performance that allowed the East Midlanders to narrow the deficit, resulting in a 95-91 win for Newcastle in the first leg of the Trophy semi-final.
The Eagles dominated November’s Super League Basketball monthly awards, with Jada Guinn earning the women’s player title, Marc Steutel winning coach of the month, and player-coach Chloe Gaynor being recognized in the women’s league. (Photos: Gary Forster)
“I was frustrated with several aspects of our play in the second half,” Steutel admitted.
“At times, Leicester played harder than us, which is not typical of this Newcastle team. That really frustrated me because I know we can do better.
“We allowed Charles Thompson to influence the game after the break — something we contained well in the first half — which was disappointing. But we always knew this tie would be a tough 80-minute battle.
“Getting a four-point win at home is pleasing, but there are definitely a few possessions we’d like to take back.”
Unbeaten in the ENBL this season, the Eagles secured a fifth win last week against CSO Voluntari. (Photos: Gary Forster)
Newcastle, now in Latvia ahead of tomorrow’s European North Basketball League (ENBL) clash against Valmiera Glass VIA, have only lost one of their last nine games.
Steutel’s dissatisfaction with an inconsistent performance against a formidable Riders squad, undefeated in the Trophy group stage, reflects his high standards and determination to maintain momentum.
“Look, Leicester did well to get back into the tie,” Steutel admitted after Newcastle built a 17-point halftime lead.
For the second consecutive Friday, the Eagles dominated the first half against a top-five rival but allowed them to fight back after the break.
Steutel knows his team must assert control for longer stretches to secure a spot in January’s Trophy final in Birmingham.
“We forced a lot of turnovers in the first half and took care of the ball well,” he noted.
“But we didn’t manage as many turnovers in the second half, and we need to figure out why.
“The first half was played on our terms, while the second half suited Leicester’s style. We’ve got another 40 minutes in the league against them next weekend and another 40 in the Trophy just before Christmas.
“By the end of the month, we’ll know each other very well.”
Seneca Knight, Newcastle’s top scorer on Friday, echoed his coach’s concerns despite an impressive performance.
“We’ve got to stick to what we do best — we lost our way in the second half,” Knight admitted after recording 23 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals against the Riders.
“We can’t afford to give up a lead to a team like that again. We need to be consistent and trust our system. Sometimes we stray from it, and that’s something we have to fix.”
Since November 1, Newcastle’s only defeat came against early Championship leaders London Lions in the capital. With a depleted roster that day, Steutel has since strengthened the team by signing US guard Christian James, leading to Jared Bynum’s departure.
Tip-off in Latvia is set for 19:00 local time, 17:00 UK time, with the game available to watch live and free on the ENBL YouTube channel.
