Sunday 12 April 2015 15:48, UK
Brad Barritt said Saracens are taking inspiration from NBA champions San Antonio Spurs as they head towards a European Champions Cup semi-final.
The London side face French giants Clermont Auvergne in the last four and are following the example of the Spurs, who became champions last year after beating Miami Heat.
Victory over Clermont in Saint Etienne next Saturday would take Saracens into a second successive European final, while they also remain firmly on course for an Aviva Premiership home play-off tie and have already secured LV= Cup silverware.
Centre Barritt said: “We have spoken about the mantra of pounding the rock, and that is what we have aimed to do this season.
"It is keeping on what we have been doing, learning to get better and keep pushing each other on and on.
"It (pounding the rock) was born from the concept of what the San Antonio Spurs had done.
"They had obviously been quite disappointed in losing two NBA finals, and the third time they were able to keep at what they did and it turned out successful for them.
"We have taken a leaf out of that book, and hopefully it spurs us on this season."
Saracens, whose bid to topple Clermont should be strengthened by Owen Farrell's availability three months after he suffered a knee injury against the same opponents, will start as underdogs at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
They have faced Clermont on six occasions since 2010, losing four times and winning twice.
But they will head to France holding second place in the Premiership after tries during a nine-minute spell by Billy Vunipola, Marcelo Bosch and Chris Wyles brushed Leicester aside 22-6 on Saturday.
