Maceo Jack doesn’t need any introduction to Trophy Final basketball.
On February 1 at Utilita Arena Birmingham, the 27-year-old American guard will step into his third Final in topflight British basketball, this time representing the Newcastle Eagles against the London Lions.
One win, one loss and two very different experiences already sit behind him — experiences that have helped shape how he now approaches the biggest moments of the season.
Jack’s first Final came during his rookie campaign with the Cheshire Phoenix in 2023. Having only joined the club in November, he was still adjusting to professional basketball when Cheshire reached the Trophy Final the following March against the Glasgow Rocks — played in Glasgow.
“Going into that first Final in Glasgow, it was kind of nerve-wracking,” Jack said. “Going into a big arena for my first professional final, I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it was such a great opportunity, and I was so excited to get out there and play.”
The setting amplified everything. A partisan crowd, a growing rivalry and two teams desperate for silverware ensured there was no easing into Finals basketball.
For Jack, the jump in intensity was immediate.
“The intensity was different to what I had been used to in my rookie season, for sure,” he said. “It had been a whirlwind season because I only signed in November and then just started to get used to the league and we had that Final to get ready for. It was crazy, but a great experience.”
The ending, though, was cruel. David Sloan’s buzzer-beater sealed the Trophy for Glasgow and left Cheshire heartbroken.
“The way the game ended hurt a lot,” Jack said. “When I saw the ball in the air I was begging for it not to go in, but of course it did. It hurt a lot at the time and for a few days afterwards.”
With time, that pain became motivation.
“Over time we just accepted we put our best foot forward and it just wasn’t our day,” he said. “But it fuelled us for the rest of the season and beyond for sure.”
Twelve months later, Jack was back in a Trophy Final with Cheshire — this time in Birmingham against the London Lions — and with a very different mindset.
“My approach was different for my second Final because I had a much larger role in the team going into that one,” he said. “But I was also carrying an injury on my shooting hand and it was a Final Four weekend instead of just one game, so there was a lot to consider.”
The added challenge of a semi-final the day before the Final brought a new dynamic, particularly after a dramatic win secured Cheshire’s place in the showpiece.
“Playing a semi-final the day before the Final was different,” Jack said. “Especially given how we won the semi-final. We enjoyed the win for a second but quickly had to reset and get ready for London in the Final.”
Cheshire entered the Final as underdogs against the London Lions — a position Jack relished.
“We were the underdogs against them that time, too,” he said. “When your backs are against the wall and nobody is expecting you to win, that’s when your pride comes in and that chip on your shoulder fuels you to find another level.”
That edge showed. Cheshire upset the Lions to lift the Trophy, giving Jack his first taste of silverware at this level.
Now, he returns to Birmingham again — once more facing London — but wearing the jersey of the most successful club in British basketball.
“This year feels very similar to that 2024 Final and having had that experience and been successful helps for sure,” Jack said. “As a group, we know it’s going to be a huge challenge. We know the odds are stacked against us, but in a one-off game anything can happen.”
For the Eagles, the focus is on identity.
“We just need to go and play Newcastle Eagles basketball,” he said. “Play with confidence, conviction and defend our Trophy.
“It’s crazy that this is my third Final in this competition.
“One thing I’m definitely trying to do better is embrace these moments, because they come and go so fast. My rookie season feels like yesterday.”
There is also a different sense of responsibility attached to this appearance.
“It’s impossible to compare Finals, but this one feels different with Newcastle,” Jack said.
“This team wins things — that’s what Newcastle do. People expect you to do the same when you wear this jersey.”
“We have to go out there with the confidence we can do that,” he said, “and represent such a prestigious club with pride and excellence.”
From the sting of a last-second defeat to the satisfaction of upsetting the odds and lifting a Trophy, Jack has already experienced both sides of Finals basketball.
On Sunday night in Birmingham, he gets the chance to add another chapter — better prepared, more aware, and ready to let the moment speak for itself.