CHESHIRE PHOENIX can finally start their Super League Basketball campaign this weekend.

Following a fine start to the season in the trophy competition, with Cheshire topping the North group, Ben Thomas' side will open their league tilt away to Bristol Flyers on Friday. This will then be followed by the first home league match of the season, against Sheffield Sharks on Sunday.

One of their key players, Cam Holden, is looking forward to the campaign.

The second year pro told the Super League Basketball website: “I’ve worked all summer to improve my game and my body.

“We lost a bunch of guys from last year who had big roles in the team and I knew going into the summer that I was capable of filling those spots, but that I needed to put in the work to be ready.

“My first time playing off the ball and not being an important piece of the offence was last year.

"I was a defence-first player for this group last season and I still take a lot of pride in that side of my game now, but this year I’ve got more of a role on offence and the opportunity to help my team mates get better shots on that end of the floor.

“I enjoy passing the ball much more than I do scoring. I’m not somebody that is going to chase 40-point games, I’d rather get my teammates good looks and have us all contributing so if that means I get zero points and 10 or 20 assists I’m happy.

“I wanted to be a guy that Ben (Thomas) trusts down the stretch this season and step up to take some of the responsibility that others left behind, so he told me I’ve got to show him how much I want it and hopefully I’m doing that.”

Holden also admitted that he doesn't mind being the bad guy in the squad!

“I had a bad groin injury last year, which sat me down on the bench for a long time, but it also helped me because I got to watch the game from a different perspective and cheer my guys on," he added.

“Some guys get in dark spots from sitting on the bench, but I’ve never had the opportunity to sit and watch because you can’t or don’t get to play, so the injury gave me that chance to learn how physical the pro game is, learn the league from a different angle and figure out how can I score? How can I be better? What do I need to work on this summer?

“Everything I did this summer is coming to light and a lot of people are asking me what I did this off-season but the truth is I worked on everything and it’s a big part of why I signed back here because I felt like I had something to prove to people who counted me out after last year.

“I enjoy the villain role. I’m not going to hide from it.

"I love being the bad guy on the court that has other teams saying ‘I can’t stand Cam Holden’.

"I feed off that hate and it really gets me going. I’m a friendly, cool guy off the court with everybody but once I cross that line it’s me and my team mates against everybody, and that’s how I like it.”

Friday's other fixture: Leicester v Sheffield. Saturday: Surrey v Caledonia. Sunday: London v Newcastle.