Following the departure of three Riders plays as part of a Riders roster restructure, Head Coach Rob Paternostro spoke to BBC Radio Leicester to explain the organisation’s decision-making process.
“We had to try and find a way to be pulling in the same direction,” said Paternostro.
“We want a group that is committed to winning together. It was an organisational decision to turn a page and head in a different direction.
“This was something that we have spoken about for a number of weeks. In my 16 seasons at the club, we’ve always had a team that is committed to winning and playing the right way. When we don’t see that, we want to correct that as quickly as possible.
“The players had been here since August, and we did everything we could to create the best environment possible for those guys. We have a track record of players around the world that will tell you this is a great place to play basketball.
“There’s a lot of factors that go into that, and we want to continue to ensure we have a great basketball club on and off the court. But sometimes you have to make tough decisions, and those decisions weren’t made hastily.
“We were having discussions for a while, and each one of the players knew that. There are certain criteria we have to play for the Riders, and that isn’t just about winning. I love to win, but there’s more to it than that. We want to play the right way, and we want our whole team to pull in the same direction.”
Looking ahead
“We’re excited about this group going forward, and they are a group that’s come together through this. We have a team that’s excited to play, and we have had great practices this week. These guys were the reason we were in these games. They’re model professionals, and they’re ready to go.
“We know we’re down bodies, but we’re excited about going out and fighting in front of our fans. These are the times that their support is really needed. I love our fans, and we expect great support on Saturday night. This is a group of guys that really deserve that.”
The Riders are back in action tomorrow, taking on the Manchester Giants at home.
