8 November, 2019

Ian Sagar and Martin Edwards to begin club seasons in Italy

After watching their GB teammates get their club seasons underway in recent weeks, the wait is finally over for Ian Sagar and Martin Edwards who begin their 2019/20 campaigns on Saturday (9 November) when the Italian League commences. 

Sagar will take to the court two months after making a successful return to the GB team, which resulted in the 37-year-old claiming a fourth European gold. 

Sagar – who took a sabbatical break from the international team after Rio 2016 – will play for Special Bergamo Sport this season, who start with an away trip to S. Stefano Sport in gameweek 1. 

Commenting on his successful return to the GB team and his Italian season opener, Sagar said:  

“I made the big decision this year to change teams; I played for Cantu and won a lot of things with them, but now I have got one eye on Tokyo. 

“I am now playing in Bergamo and the objective is to play like a centre; an old-school, big guy, smashing into the key, using my elbows and then finishing off inside, which is what GB want me to do. So, I have moved to give me the best chance first of all to be selected for Tokyo and secondly to help the GB team win a medal in Tokyo.” 

Sagar will be joined in Italy by 2018 world champion Martin Edwards, who will be representing SSD Santa Lucia this season. Edwards will begin his campaign away at Dinamo Lab. 

In Spain, the Spanish League continues with the league’s top-scorer Terry Bywater facing five of his GB teammates as CD Ilunion host Mideba Extremadura. 

Bywater has continued his fine form from the European Championships, scoring 87 points in the three games so far this season, in addition to 25 assists and 21 rebounds. 

The five-time Paralympian will be hoping to continue his form against a Mideba side, featuring Phil Pratt, Abdi Jama, Gregg Warburton, Ben Fox and George Bates

Pratt reached double figures in points, assists and rebounds last weekend and he will be hoping for another all-round performance this weekend. 

All five of Mideba’s starting line-up were part of the men’s European Championships winning team along with Bywater; the six British players in action have 30 European medals between them. 

There will be another clash between British players in Spain when BSR Amiab Albacete host Iberconsa Amfiv. 

Albacete are currently unbeaten in the league this season, with their four GB players playing a big part in their success. Gaz Choudhry has particularly impressed with his 39 points haul from last weekend taking his tally to 80 for the season. 

Lee Manning, Kyle Marsh and Harry Brown will also be in action for Albacete hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. 

The British quartet will welcome an Iberconsa Amfiv side, featuring GB pair Lewis Edwards and Sam Mack. 

James MacSorley’s Gran Canaria host CB Las Rozas targeting back-to-back wins after their first victory of the season came last weekend against Bidaideak Bilbao; a game which MacSorley posted his highest points tally in for the season. 

Thomas Smith’s Rincon Dental Amivel travel to Fundacion Vital Zuzenak still looking for their first win of the season. 

Complete fixture list, featuring GB players: 

Italy 
S. Stefano Sport v Special Bergamo Sport  Ian Sagar  
Porto Torres v SSD Santa Lucia Martin Edwards 
Spain 
 BSR Amiab Albacete v Iberconsa Amfiv Kyle Marsh (Albacete) Gaz Choudhry (Albacete) 
Harry Brown (Albacete) Lee Manning (Albacete) 

Lewis Edwards (Amfiv) Sam Mack (Amfiv) 
 CD Ilunion v Mideba Extremadura Terry Bywater (Ilunion)  

Ben Fox (Mideba) George Bates (Mideba) 
Abdi Jama (Mideba) Phil Pratt (Mideba) 
Gregg Warburton (Mideba)  
 Gran Canaria v CB Las Rozas James MacSorley  
Fundacion Vital Zuzenak v Rincon Dental Amivel Thomas Smith 
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