Interviews
Interviews with Club people will appear on this page from time to time.
7 April 2005
Ben Eaves Talks
Ben was a very accomplished tennis player when younger, but the lure of basketball overtook him and he started to play at Broughton High School in Preston.
Fortunately for Ben, there was a National League Club nearby at Preston, where Matt Newby saw his potential and began to develop his early skills. Matt recommended Ben to our Club at the age of 15 years and he was able to make a major contribution to the Magic Under 16 team in his first season.
Since then, his progress has been meteoric and he has gone on to represent us at Under 18, Under 20 and Senior level. He has made a major impact this year for the Senior team and shown that he is fully capable of playing at this level.
His England career has blossomed accordingly and he was able to take part in European Competition in Ireland (Under 16) and in Estonia (Under 18). He still qualifies for the Under 18 team, and Mick Bett is hoping that Ben will be a dominant player this summer in Europe.
Along the way, he has picked up numerous MVP honours and was voted as England Cadet Player of the Year 18 months ago.
Ben's long-term ambition has always been to get to the States and fulfil his potential at the highest level. He has just accepted a one-year Scholarship at Worcester Academy in New England which he hopes will lead to offers from Major Division 1 NCCA Colleges. As always, the holy grail of the NBA is there and Ben would like a crack at that. He knows how difficult it is to play at the very top, but is determined to give it his best shot.
We wish him all the best for his future career.
8 February 2005
Interview with Andrew Lovedale
Andrew arrived on our doorstep in July 2002 when he appeared at the John Amaechi Summer Camp. He had been visiting his brother in London who recommended the Manchester programme to him if he wanted to pursue a career in basketball.
Up to the age of 15 years, he had been a soccer player of some note (striker, he says), with an eye for goal and a mean streak. This all turned around when he picked up a basketball seriously and began to enjoy the feeling. This was in Benin, Nigeria where he spent his formative years with Mum and a large family. By constant practising on the outdoor courts, he was able to make himself good enough to help win a tournament whilst playing for his area team. The big prize was a trip to Manchester for the team but, as fate (and Nigeria) would have it, the money was never there and the trip was cancelled. Instead, he took up his brother's invitation to visit and survey the London scene.
Such was his impact at the 2002 Camp, that the Magic encouraged him to stay and continue his education. He enrolled at Loreto College in September 2002 to study 'A' levels in Chemistry, Biology and Economics. He combined this with his basketball and, after an excellent year academically and with the Magic, he realised that his visa had expired and was put on the first plane back to Nigeria.
Because of these visa problems, he had to endure 12 months of red tape in Lagos before he was allowed to return for the current season. Loreto took him back and he is now completing his 'A' level studies.
He has certain ambitions:
- A College basketball career in the USA, starting August 2005.
- A degree in Biochemistry.
- An NBA contract.
Always a most gracious young man, Andrew said 'firstly, I would like to thank my mum and family back home for their wonderful support, particularly in the difficult times. Joining the Magic has been a great move for me - tremendous programme, brilliant people - just what I needed'.
Two pieces of advice he gives to youngsters wishing to make their mark in basketball and in life:
- Never pray to be like any man, because you might be destined to be greater than that man.
- In basketball, always balance chaos with concentration.
22 December 2004
Mike Burton 1-2-1
Chester Jets supremo, Mike Burton, kindly agreed to share his views and opinions about the game:
HOW ARE THE JETS DOING?
Very well, considering the financial restraints we have. The injury to Calvin Davis hurt us badly at a time when we had chances of a Cup Final appearance and a place at the top of the League. As always, our Trophy results have been great - we have had to handle Sheffield in our Pool over the years and, in doing so, have managed to win the Trophy in the last 4 years - a record, I believe.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST AT THE CLUB?
Competing at the highest level of English basketball is a terrific thrill. It has enabled us to be the most successful Club in the country over the past few years - 7 trophies in 4 years. The other tremendous aspect is the way we have built a solid core of support, not just spectators but all the volunteers who help to administer and organise our Club and our Sunday promotions. My relationship with these people has been a core to my enjoyment at the Jets.
WILL YOU COACH AGAIN?
Can't see it. I'm just too busy with all the other aspects of the Club. I get great satisfaction from coaching at School level where Ellesmere Port Catholic High has become dominant in the last few years. Last year, we were finalists in all boys and girls competitions (8 in all) - a great achievement which has never been done before.
HOW DO YOU SEE THE BBL AT THE MOMENT?
There have been ups and downs over the years and it's probably true to say that we are in a down period at the moment. I do believe that we have come a long way since the time that Jets came in. At that time, there were only 7 teams and Jets made it 8. The entry of Plymouth has been a big boost, after the demise of the Giants, Derby and Leopards. Financially, it's tough for all the Clubs at the moment but these things do change. We have to hang in there until they do. TV is the key - we need it badly for finance and exposure.
WHAT ABOUT THE STANDARD COMPARED TO A FEW YEARS AGO?
A lot of people would say we have gone backwards, but I don't subscribe to this. I feel we have held our overall player standards very well.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON OUR OWN CLUB?
A very, very impressive organisation. The Amaechi Basketball Centre is as good as it gets. Great community programme, the best National League development programme around, a Magic team now competing at the top of EBL Division 1, despite all the best youngsters going to the States. The better the Magic get, the easier it will be to motivate the youngsters to aspire to the top. Having that Senior team to aim for gives the kids that extra ambition to succeed.
MAGIC AND THE BBL. YES OR NO?
Depends on the Club philosophy. I believe that a hindrance has been that your best youngsters playing in the BBL bars them from attending College in the USA. You will obviously have to change your philosophy here if you are to look seriously at BBL. Will say that potentially Magic could be as good as we have in the BBL - major City, owning your own venue, quality youngsters being developed, ability to attract sponsors - you've very definitely got it there if you want it.
WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR BASKETBALL IN ENGLAND?
Money is the key. Youngsters (and parents) will always be attracted to sports where there is the opportunity for a stable, long-term chance to make a good living from sport. This is not the case in basketball currently. Rugby Union is a great example of how a sport can grow successfully when the riches of Sky were ploughed in about 10 years ago. A successful National team would also help.
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR TREMENDOUS JUNIOR PROGRAMME OF YEARS AGO?
Yes, we were very successful but I found that it took considerable resources to attain that success. When the opportunity for Jets to play at the top came along, these resources had to be shifted towards the Seniors to compete at that level. I simply could not fund both programmes. My own input to Development is with the School where I spend considerable time developing quality players - our success over the years is a testament to the work which has gone into my School basketball.
