Marc Steutel believes the stars are aligning for British basketball.
The newly-appointed Newcastle Eagles playcaller is poised to lead Great Britain into action against Turkey as acting head coach of the national team once again with Nate Reinking ruled out again, according to organisers, despite the end of the NBA season.
The Vertu Motors Arena will host the World Cup qualifier on July 3 with GB already guaranteed a spot in the Second Round but getting a useful warm-up ahead of EuroBasket 2022 as well as seeking precious points to take forward.
And Steutel is chasing a hat-trick of huge international scalps after helming famous wins against Germany and Greece on Tyneside.
“As long as I’m asked to make myself available for the national team, I’ll always do everything I can to be there,” said the Eagles’ coach.
“And it’s a great time to be joining Newcastle as the relationship between the BBL and GB is stronger than ever.
“For a variety of reasons more British players are choosing to return home.
“The Utopian view is that somewhere along the line, top level, elite British players will view the BBL as somewhere they can take their career to the next level and achieve their aspirations.
“I want to be a part of that change in perception and coaching in the BBL will help me to achieve that.
“More and more players are heading back home and in every international window we’re seeing an ever-increasing presence of BBL-based players.
“They’re not only making the final 12…they’re making an impact against some of the best teams in the world.”
Steutel has promised that his international commitments won’t get in the way of a much-needed close-season overhaul at the Vertu Motors Arena.
And he feels his ongoing involvement with the GB squad can only benefit a Newcastle organisation with increasingly strong ties to the national set-up.
“From a personal perspective being involved with GB’s senior coaching team has given me the opportunity to test myself against some of the best teams and players in the world,” he added.
“The role also gives me a unique viewpoint on the British talent that’s out there and I feel it will only be of benefit to my role with Newcastle.
“The fact that the Eagles organisation has been so supportive of the national team during the last two years makes this an even more positive move for me.”
Tyneside has hosted two of the biggest wins in British basketball history after staging vital Eurobasket and World Cup qualifiers in the last two years.
With Reinking unable to travel from America, Steutel stepped up to lead the home side to a thrilling 81-73 win against the Germans in February 2020.
And the Liverpudlian repeated the trick last November as European big guns Greece were defeated 78-69 in front of another full house.
Belarus were due to try their luck in front of a partisan Geordie crowd in February before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced a last-minute postponement.
Now all about position as the Group B nations of Great Britain, Greece and Turkey, who are separated by only two points as it stands, play-off this summer to decide their opposition.
Tickets for GB’s clash with Turkey are on sale now http://newcastle-eagles.com/boxoffice
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