No more sleepless nights for Eagles star Chris Elder, who finished with 35 points in his team’s thrilling win over Tracy Village Jets in the 2020 DBA Final

YOU wouldn’t think Chris Elder – the superstar Eagles guard with ice in his veins – would suffer sleepless nights before the 2020 DBA Final on Saturday night. He need not have worried a bit, the star American guard scoring 35 points in his team’s thrilling 94-82 win over Tracy Village. But he spoke about the game with typical humility afterwards.

Eagles celebrate beating Tracy Village Jets in the 2020 DBA Final. Picture: Nathaniel Chambers

YOU wouldn’t think Chris Elder – the superstar Eagles guard with ice in his veins – would suffer sleepless nights.

Especially after his team enjoyed an incredible 18-game winning streak before the 2020 Darwin Basketball Association Final against Tracy Village on Saturday night.

Elder once again owned the big moments in the title decider, finishing with 35 points and a very respectable 6-15 effort from beyond the three-point arc.

Chris Elder shines for Eagles in the team’s thrilling win v Tracy Village Jets in the 2020 Darwin Basketball Championship Final

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Eagles and Tracy Village Jets ready for 2020 Darwin Basketball Association Championship final

He was also a highly impressive and consistent 5-10 with his two-point conversions.

It helped Donna Hurst’s team record a memorable 94-82 win over a Jets team full of local and youthful Darwin talent.

The victory was Eagles’ second Top End basketball premiership triumph in as many years, Joseph Jackson (22 points, 7-13 field goals) also starring.

The efforts from the American duo were enough to prevail over the Jerron Jamerson-inspired Jets, a fellow American-can superstar and this year’s competition MVP, who finished with 27 points (two three-pointers).

But Elder admits he did harbour some nerves going into the biggest Top End game of the year.

Eagles star Chris Elder celebrates a DBA Championship title after starring in the 2020 final against Tracy Village. Picture: Nathaniel Chambers

“All the bumps and bruises, the long nights, the anxiety are all worth it now that we’ve got this, it feels good,” Elder told the NT News.

“We wanted to come out and give them our best punch. That’s the only thing we were thinking about coming into the game, and we did that.

“We were able to retain the ball and stay in control. This is the perfect way to finish, 19 wins in a row.

“We just kept getting better every game and faced so many challenges along the line, but we kept winning.”

Despite his individual brilliance, Elder could not have produced such a dominant final display without the help of his teammates.

Despite boasting a brilliant starting five – with Ambros Eugster, club veteran David Oates, Pat Golong (18 points), and Jackson and Elder ever-difficult to shut down, Eagles had just three bench players compared to the Jets’ seven.

“It was a whole team effort,” Elder said.

“They told me to go out and be aggressive and trusted in me, as they have done all year.

“I wouldn’t be anything without them.

“I wanted to make a statement after not being named in the top three on awards night, which I took personally after working hard all year doing everything I could.”