In his first year in charge of the UEL Basketball team, Dave Greenaway has taken this side to another level by reaching the BUCS Championship final for their first time.
Some of the major influences within the UEL team this season has to be the quality in players they have acquired, along with a very passionate coach looking to leave a legacy.
Reaching the BUCS final means reaching new heights as this will be the furthest UEL have gone in Basketball.
Leave Your Legacy
After UEL’s 111-101, Greenaway spoke of the semi-final victory over Durham University: “I said to the players about leaving their legacy and to put a stamp on UEL as individuals and collectively as a team, so it’s a huge boost for the University and to put the University out there in terms of basketball on the map.
“They have trust in me and they have trust in each other and they’ve actually bought into what we’re trying to do with the values, the culture, even what we put on the floor as well and how we play,” he continued.
Rejuvenated UEL
Coming short and losing the game by just five points to Newcastle University in the quarter-final last season, UEL were fortunate enough to face the same team at the same stage again.
This time round, they managed to get the win as they destroyed the Geordies 111-60.
Greenaway doesn’t take any opponents for granted as he shows in his humbleness and professionalism that there’s always room to improve: “I always feel to myself as a coach, I still could do a lot more, I always feel like there’s always room for improvement.
“It’s going to be a challenge, it’s nothing easy as we realise every time we go through these stages, it’s gets harder and tougher, but a challenge is always an opportunity for us to rise and get better.
“We’re going to continue to develop. We’re trying to develop a base of value and a culture that when we get new players in, the players, it’s the same system, it’s the same mentality, the same culture and this is our standards and our values. They’ve bought into that and it has allowed us to this position,” he said.
No matter the outcome of the final, UEL have a coach who is very passionate and looking to put their Basketball team on the map.
