Basketball
Burchell and Danchie Return for Raiders
26 July 2007
The Kularoos Plymouth Raiders have returned a further two players from their BBL Trophy winning squad of 2006/07 as James Burchell and Jeff Danchie have put pen to paper for the forthcoming campaign.
Raiders' Coach Gary Stronach said "I'm really pleased that we've been able to get both James and Jeff back again for another season. I love the commitment and the work ethic that they both bring to the team, and I'm sure that they'll both do a great job. They've both been involved with the Raiders for quite a while now, and it's great that they were both so keen to re-sign with us."
Burchell, a 6'5" forward, was delighted to have signed with the team again. "I've been here now for 8 years and I now consider Plymouth to be my home, and it's great to return to play for my home club for another year. It's a privilege to wear the green of the Plymouth Raiders. I still get goose bumps when I run out at the Pavilions every night. I take a lot of pride in the coaching that I do for the club, and being able to work with the next generation of Plymouth basketball players in schools throughout the area.
"On the court, this year I think its going to be tough, there's going to be a lot of competition for spots all over the court, but I've always been the kind of player to accept a challenge and I will work as hard as I need to, to earn minutes and contribute to the team. This year is going to be a different kind of challenge. We were one of the clubs that won silverware in 06/07 and other teams are going to be gunning for us, so I think we need to prepare for that, rather than in seasons previous when we've been on the outside looking in."
Burchell first played for the Raiders in Division 1 in 1999 when he came to Marjons. He stayed with the team until he graduated when he moved to the BBL and played with Chester Jets for a year, winning the BBL Trophy. He returned to Plymouth after just one season and has been a fixture in the team ever since.
Danchie, a much touted 23-year-old point guard who has recently graduated from Marjons, said, "I'm really excited to be getting a proper pro basketball contract for the first time, and playing with a great bunch of guys. I've really enjoyed being part of the Raiders the past few years, and I've learned a lot from some really good players. I want to put pressure on the others for court time this season, and continue to improve. Being able to go out into the community and coach in schools is something I've done recently and it's all gone very well, so to be a part of an expanding Schools Programme is something I'm looking forward to as well."
Before coming to Plymouth, he had been part of the successful Hackney junior teams in London and came to the Raiders with a reputation of being a tough, aggressive defender.
"They're both great guys," said Dave Briggs, Raiders' Chief Executive. "We're delighted to have them both back, as they bring so much to the team. There's so much that they both contribute to the team, and they've made some really big improvements in their games the past year. I coached James in Division 3 with Raiders II a couple of years ago, and though he was good then, he's come a long way over the last season. Jeff has got better every year, and I hope he'll push both Gavin and Brody hard for some game time this season.
"They're both going to be big contributors to the Schools Programme this year, and the schools that they've been working in recently have already been in contact wanting them back again in the future. They build a really good rapport with the children, and are fantastic ambassadors, not only for the Raiders, but also for Plymouth."
Both will also form part of the highly successful Raidercoach Academy which visits schools and community groups throughout Devon and Cornwall. The Raiders hope to expand this side of the club in the coming months, and both Burchell and Danchie will help to play a big part in this.
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