THE Newcastle Eagles reaped an instant benefit from their controversial re-signing of Charles Smith, the American forward who walked out on Scottish Rocks, the league leaders, in the opening weeks of the campaign to return to his Tyneside-based family.
An England Basketball arbitration hearing before Christmas cleared the 6ft 6in Smith to sign for a new club in return for a nominal “transfer” fee after the Rocks attempted to retain his registration in order to claim higher compensation.
Smith finally returned to the Eagles, whom he left in the summer for an improved offer from the Rocks, on Friday and, within hours, was leading his new employers to a 91-90 victory over the London Towers.
Despite his extended layoff, Smith led all scorers with 26 points and combined with Andrew Sullivan, the England international, to block a last-second shot by Terrance Simmons that would have won the match for London.
Sullivan, who finished with 25 points, had hit a decisive free-throw four seconds earlier to arrest a run of four consecutive league defeats, which moved Newcastle to within ten points of the Rocks but with two games in hand.