Matt Pressey…pressing on with Plymouth

Raiders coach Jay Marriott was faced with the difficult task of imposing his own style on an already assembled roster when he replaced Gavin Love just days before training camp.

Unsurprisingly personnel changes accompanied the introduction of Marriott’s ‘process’ philosophy, with few more celebrated than the pick-up of point guard Matt Pressey.

Described as ‘a big-time player’ by his new coach on arrival, Pressey is living up to expectations, averaging 16.6 points-per-game and 4.3 assists.

This should come as little surprise however, given Pressley’s pedigree and his basketball lineage.

He is the son of 11-year NBA veteran and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Paul Pressey while his younger brother Phil, is currently trying to make his way with the Celtics – so the game was always going to come naturally to him.

“Both my father and brother have been huge impacts on my career,” said Matt, who graduated from the University Missouri in summer 2012.

“First, my father is the one who put the basketball in my hands and showed me how to play the game the right way and I feel like that’s where me and my brother get our IQ of the game from.

“As for my brother, I’ve played with him all throughout my career, he has made the game easy for me in assisting me a lot of the time in games because I know what he is thinking making it easy to communicate and execute.

“We had many battles me and my brother. I feel like that’s what made us so good because he exposed my weaknesses and I exposed his, making us both better.”

Those battling qualities were on show for all to see last weekend.

Pressey capped a polished performance with a couple of clutch free throws to help hand Worcester Wolves their first defeat of the season – despite the best efforts of one of the BBL’s other top guards.

“It was a huge win for us especially with Worcester being an unbeaten team,” recalled Pressey.

“I think moving on, this was a great momentum builder because we learned a lot about our team in clutch moments, especially not having Donald Robinson, who is a huge talent for us.

“At the end of the game I had some big free throws down the stretch. But I was not bothered by Zaire Taylor’s taunts, he is a good friend of mine but nothing he said was going to throw me off from my focus.”

Pressey’s next point of focus is to take this chance to make a name for himself in his own right, starting with a big season in Plymouth.

“I was looking for an opportunity because I had been overlooked by a lot of teams, just because of my lack of stats in college and not enough film,” Pressey revealed.

“But clearly Coach Marriott saw me for the true player that I am and didn’t go off my stats or the position I played in college he just knew I could play.

“My goals this year are to lead and win. That is all. I feel like my talents will take care of everything else.”

Pressey and the Raiders are next in action against Surrey United in the BBL Cup on Friday. For information about tickets visit www.surreyunited.co.uk.

Story – BBL

Photo Matt Pressey – BBL

Photo Jay MARRIOTT – Daily Star Website