MIDGE, NATE AND FLIN ON GUARD
04/07/2009

LUOL Deng is on guard when it comes to defending the reputation of his GB team mates.

The Brits, bound for their first ever Euro Champs Finals in Poland this summer, boast tried and trusted big men like Deng, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Robert Archibald.

But they face a tough time at the smaller guard positions where they lack big-name international stars.

Last year's guards, Richard Midgley, Nate Reinking, Flinder Boyd and Jarrett Hart, face a tough time in the Euro group of death with Spain, Serbia and Slovenia.

But Deng said: "I feel we have young guards coming through who are going to be better for having this experience.

"I know it's a tough draw but it's good for the team, if we want to get where we're aiming to get.

"Are we good enough to beat those teams? I'm not sure. But we are good enough to challenge them.

"I know we will compete against them and a lot of teams are looking out for us these days. We're not taken as an easy team any more, as we were in the old days."

Ian Whittell for 24/7