Baptism of fire for new boy Joe.

Byline: Mark Douglas 

HAVING swapped the bright lights of Chicago for the suburbs of Newcastle, Eagles new boy Joe Chapman admits adjusting to life at his new club has not been easy.

Chapman was the sole new recruit for the reigning BBL champions over the summer, and the pressure has been on the unassuming guard almost from the day he arrived.

Asked to adapt to the Eagles' all-action defensive style and struggling to adapt to life in new digs in Wallsend, Chapman has not quite hit the heights which were expected of him.

Throw into the mix the injury which ruled player-coach Fab Flournoy out until December and the fall-out from three straight defeats and you have just about the most difficult baptism of fire imaginable.

Benched on Friday in favour of homegrown youngster Aaron Nielsen, he responded in the right way against the Worcester Wolves by turning in arguably his most influential display in an Eagles defence.

Chapman feels that performance - and a new appreciation of his surroundings - is a sign things are finally turning in his favour. He admitted: "It is kind of difficult at first. It is a lot to take in.

"I never lived in the suburbs of a city before. I live in Wallsend in Newcastle, which is new for me and a bit difficult to settle into at first.

"I am still getting used to the living arrangements and how things work around here.

"I come from Chicago, which is a huge city of 12 million people! That is the adjustment I have had to make.

"Where I am living at the moment everyone is quiet - no-one really bothers you. "When you go into the city centre, though, everyone talks to you and smiles at you and they are all really friendly.

"I am a quiet guy, so either way is cool by me but it is a new experience."

Chapman's teething troubles mirror the experiences of his flat-mate Reggie Jackson and Tafari Toney last season.

Signed as rookies by the Eagles at the start of last season, they were peripheral figures until an injury to Lynard Stewart forced them into the spotlight.

They thrived, but it was only because the Eagles showed patience and understanding during their first few months. Chapman has experience of professional basketball in the Mexican league but this is his first stint in Britain - and it is a steep learning curve.

He added: "The game in Britain is a little different from what I am used to.

"The longer I am over here, the more I will become familiar with it and start to adapt my own game to it.

"Defence is important here, but I am used to offering more offensive power.

"The more I learn about it, the better. At the moment I feel like I am taking it in day-by-day and it probably helps to have a coach like Fab, who works so hard on making sure we are prepared right."

Chapman surprisingly started from the bench against the Wolves, with Flournoy reasoning his attacking ability would add a spark in the later stages.

The tactic worked well, and the refreshingly ego-free Chapman says he is happy to sacrifice his own starting role for the good of the team.

He said: "If that is what it takes to win basketball games I am fine with that.

"It allows us to start off getting our defence right, and then I can come in and lend a hand both defensively and offensively too."

CAPTION(S):

FINALLY SETTLING IN Newcastle Eagles new boy Joe Chapman.