Lee Ridley

Ex Newcastle Eagles captain, Chris Fite, has tipped his former club for glory this season with two players being the main men in helping them to achieve it. 

Speaking from his base in Belgium, where he plays for Bree, he said: "I believe Tony Windless and Andrew Mavis will be the most important players for the Eagles.

"Tony has always been a winner. He's won a number of trophies in the English league and his experience and leadership will be one of the keys to Newcastle's success. 

"Andrew is an excellent all around player and I'm sure that his time with the Canadian Olympic team during the summer will have made him an even more confident and dangerous player. His outside game will make life easier for big Ian [Whyte] and Tony inside."

Fite also praised the Eagles' new youth academy set-up, headed by his former coach Craig Lynch. 

"It is extremely important and I hope it's successful," praises Fite. "It will determine the future of English basketball and will influence whether England will remain a mediocre international side or whether they will be competitive with the other consistently strong European sides."

Meeting his fiancé, his friends, the football and the nights out on the Quayside and Bigg Market are Fite's best memories of his time in the North East. He also states that the Eagles team that he played in was the most talented team that he has been a part of. 

However, experience has taught him how hard it is for British fans as well. Using the cut of Ralph Blalock from the Newcastle team this season as an example, he says: "Ralph is an excellent player and will be very difficult to replace. Time will tell how the Eagles do without him.

"This has always been one of the biggest problems with the English league. There is no security for players and teams frequently change completely from season to season.

"The Newcastle fans have experienced this first hand a number of times. It is very difficult for fans to develop a closeness and loyalty for a team."

That isn't his only criticism of the British game. He also feels that the BBL should do more following the problems at Manchester, Edinburgh and Leicester over the summer. 

"The people who run and promote the game need to find a way to reach the local sports fans and turn them on to basketball and make the game accessible to everyone. It's easier said than done.

"European basketball is much more organised and professional on and off the court. As far as playing goes, it is a much more structured and team game in Europe.

"The English game has very talented players but the teams tend to play more of a run and gun,  one on one game. Which is why, when it comes to the crunch, the more organised and team oriented European teams almost always beat the British teams in European competitions."

So, what was the British game like during his time in the UK?

"I think basketball was promoted but not enough.

"The only way for it to truly grow is for it to be on the TV, in newspapers and in all the schools. There have to be places available for children and adults to play at all times.

"In America, you can find outdoor basketball courts which are free for anyone to use in every community.

"To do all of these things cost money though. The kind of money that most of the British teams don't have.  

"I think the best chance would be if the Government and local councils got involved and helped fund these type of things."

It isn't all bad news, however, as Fite explains. 

"The British game will survive without a doubt because basketball is the fastest growing sport in popularity in the world."

Maybe Fite will come back and be a part of that some time.