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Page last updated at 11:47 GMT, Saturday, 8 May 2010 12:47 UK

Sterling Davis urges Glasgow Rocks to seize success

EVERTON TIGERS v GLASGOW ROCKS
BBL Championship play-off final
Venue: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham Date: Saturday, 08 May 2010
Tip-off: 1800 BST


Sterling Davis
Davis's side take on Everton Tigers in the play-off final

Player-coach Sterling Davis believes Glasgow Rocks have "overachieved" by making the BBL final and is urging his side to seize their chance of success.

Rocks take on Everton Tigers in the BBL Championship play-off final in Birmingham on Saturday.

"We want to look back on it and say we finalised everything as best we could and the way to do that is to finish this off with a win," said Davis.

"It's just going to be about who wants it more."

Davis, whose side finished the league season in third, two places above Everton, has gone from player to player-coach since joining Rocks and is eager to bring a trophy back to Glasgow.

"It means the world to me just to be in the finals, especially after three or four years doing this as a player-coach and to get that gratification, especially with the ups and downs we've had throughout the course of the season," he said.

"The guys have persevered through it and I give them all the credit. But, on a personal level, I can't explain it, I still can't believe it.

"When you're in a finals game, you've seen each team at least three times in the season.

"You can try to throw in little tactics or tweaks of things for the play-offs, which we tried to do, but at the end of the day, they're going to know what we do and we know what they're going do too, so it's just going to be about what team wants it.

"There are only two teams left. The other 11 teams that were in the league are now at home and sitting waiting for the finals and they're going to be there as spectators, so we have to understand the accomplishment but also the accolade to get to that point and understand that it's a great opportunity.

I've come so close so many times and come up short. This is just the opportunity of a lifetime

Rob Yanders
Glasgow Rocks captain

"I think we've overachieved to get to the finals considering how the season has gone for us, but to be able to win it and bring some silverware back home, it'd be great.

"It sends chills through your body just to think about the opportunity to do that."

Captain Rob Yanders has previously tasted defeat in the play-off final - as did Everton in last year's final against Newcastle Eagles - and is desperate to not be a 'nearly man' again.

"I'm that guy that's been around for quite some time now, it's been five years," said Yanders.

"I've been to the final two or three times, I've never came up successful in the championship, but now it's time; it's time to get it.

"I know Everton's a pretty well-coached team, they've got a got a group of guys that are decent basketball players, so we have to be ready for their whole team.

"I've come so close so many times and come up short. This is just the opportunity of a lifetime to say that you won a championship here for the city of Glasgow; that would be great."

Owner Ian Reid spoke to the players ahead of their final appearance and Yanders is hoping to use that as motivation against Everton.

"It was a very positive talk just saying that him, the organisation, his family are very proud of the group of guys that's out there, that's made it this far and that they're behind us 100% and that we've got that one chance that we've all been waiting for," added the captain.



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see also
Tigers win first play-offs title
08 May 10 |  Basketball
Rocks & Tigers make the play-offs
26 Apr 10 |  Basketball
Tigers claim double BBL victory
29 Mar 10 |  Basketball


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