Gareth Murray on defending the Trophy, reflecting on THAT game-winner, and tackling Cheshire

If you haven’t been fortunate enough to witness the last year’s British Basketball League Trophy Final between Caledonia Gladiators and Cheshire Phoenix then please … keep scrolling and strap in for the ride!

After 20 years of heartache and no titles
to show for it, March 26 2023 was the day it all changed for Caledonia, as
David Sloan sunk one of the most memorable, heart-pounding buckets in League
history to secure the Trophy title with a game-winning buzzer-beater.

Today, the Gladiators start their defence of that title they so dramatically earned just over nine months ago. The mastermind behind that title win – Head Coach Gareth Murray – sat down with us to relive that magical night at the Emirates Arena.

“I remember speaking to the players ahead of the game and reminding them of the need to enjoy and embrace the moment,” Murray said.

“We were essentially playing at home, where every one of the 6,000 people in the crowd, apart from a few hundred Cheshire fans, were rooting for us.

“The crowd was full of our fans, but also famous faces from the club’s history over the years; all who had come out to see us and help will us over the line in what was always going to be a really challenging game against a very tough team – who were the holders!

“I knew how important it was to all of us as a team, and how much pressure the guys were feeling, but they knew how important an occasion this was for the club. The most important message of all I tried to instil in them was to go out there and have fun, enjoy their basketball and not let the moment pass them by as they go for the win.”

To feel or not to feel pressure

In the dying embers of that fateful Trophy
Final, with the scores locked at 75 apiece, the Gladiators had one last
possession to try and win the title before needing overtime, and the play that
won the game was truly spectacular.

A well-known set that Caledonia ran throughout the season, Cheshire had counters prepared but the Gladiators had even more tricks up their shooting sleeves. The mastermind behind the play discussed why that final possession was perfect basketball from his team:

“I already knew what play we were going to run if Cheshire missed on the previous possession, to try and win the game – it was something we’d run a thousand times. We wanted to get the ball into David’s hands so that he could make a play, we knew what Cheshire would do to try and prevent that, and our players executed perfectly.

“Every player was involved. Our spacing was excellent and the split-second decision-making was top class, from Jeremiah’s pass through the legs to David, who then kicked it to Prince and replaced to receive the pass wide open in the corner. It was perfect.

“Making a game-winning shot comes with a lot of pressure, but for David, the pressure was also off in some ways – if he missed, then we were level and going to overtime, but thankfully he made it and those scenes we all saw and experienced were incredible.”

20 years of
heartache over

If you’ve not seen the play in question yet
– and seriously, if not, go and watch it! – then you’re lucky in some ways, as
you still get to witness those post-game scenes for the first time.

Limbs were flying everywhere, tears of joy were flowing from the stands, and the raucous atmosphere inside the arena could surely be heard all over Scotland; but Murray’s own reaction sprinting onto the court will be one that lives long in the memory for those who witnessed it, and the Head Coach discussed his memories of the celebrations:

“Watching that shot, I was almost directly
parallel to it. I saw the shot go up and the rotation and the arc looked good.
Sometimes you see the ball go up and think straight away that it’s off target,
too long or too short, but this one looked perfect to the point that it felt
like it was spinning in slow motion.

“When you see Prince running under the rim after he passes the ball to David, he’s almost already celebrating and what came afterwards was just unforgettable. I was sprinting on the court, everybody was going crazy. I was obviously happy, but I think above all I was relieved!

“With all those fans having come out to watch us, it was a huge opportunity for the club. To win the Trophy and do it like that, it’s a whole different level of emotion and excitement and I think the cameras captured that perfectly – a team that had been waiting for 20 years to win a Trophy.”

Rivalries
renewed on Friday night

This Friday night in East Kilbride sees a rematch of last year’s Final as the Cheshire Phoenix travel north to battle the Gladiators on the night they begin their Trophy defence.

A former player for the Phoenix, Murray knows the club only too well, and Ben Thomas’ side has undoubtedly developed a rivalry with the Gladiators over recent years with both sides sharing in the glory and heartache during those encounters.

Ahead of this latest battle, Murray gave a glowing appraisal of Friday night’s opponents:

“Cheshire are playing good basketball this year and the roster they’ve put together has been impressive. The style of play Ben likes to play is up-tempo, they want to shoot a lot of threes, they play quick to mobile forwards, and as a team, they’re difficult to guard.

“It’s good that we get to play against them first to start the group off, but the way the League has been this year, the way teams are playing, everyone’s been incredibly competitive and I think this new Trophy format is only going to make it even more exciting.

“Our rivalry with Cheshire has definitely increased over the last few months. We’ve had some great battles on the court and obviously social media has been entertaining between the two teams as well, but both of us will be aiming to top the group and based on how we’re playing right now it’s right that those are our expectations, and it all starts on Friday.”

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