Month: January 2021

Leicester Riders moved to joint top of the BBL Championship with an emphatic 103-76 win over Surrey Scorchers on Sunday. The Scorchers kept the game tight in the first quarter, even building small leads, but Riders started to assert their authority in the second period, and then took over in the second half.

Riders won it with exceptional shooting, including 15 three pointers at 48%. They also outrebounded the Scorchers by 41 to 24 and they moved the ball extremely well, totalling 27 assists to just 16 for Surrey.

Surrey was coming off a morale boosting victory on Friday night in Glasgow and started off in confident style with their talisman, Point Guard Tony Hicks, pulling the strings. He hit an open jump shot followed by a three pointer and the visitors had an early 7-4 lead. The Scorchers captain Tayo Ogedengbe followed that with a long range three, which Geno Crandall immediately matched. Both teams were exceptional shooting from beyond the arc as the points piled up, and Leicester were forced to a zone defence, to try and stem the tide.

Ex-NBA player 7 foot Ryan Richards came off the bench to make an immediate impact forcing himself inside for a bucket against two Riders defenders, and then following that up with a three pointer. Aaron Falzon came off the bench to also hit a three, and Conner Washington followed that up with two of his own, as the first quarter shootout finished with the Scorchers just ahead 25-23.

Jamell Anderson got Riders going in the second period with a powerful move to the basket, which drew a foul. Riders were more aggressive offensively in the second period and the Scorchers were starting to pick up fouls. Crandall missed on the second free throw from one of his trips to the line, but used extraordinary athleticism to fly over the other players to tip in his own missed shot. 

Consecutive threes by Washington and Anderson forced Surrey to a timeout trailing 38-33, with six minutes left in the half. But Riders kept coming with another three from Crandall and some good footwork inside by Darien Nelson Henry and Riders were steadily pulling away. William Lee got into the act with a three of his own and Riders closed out the first half leading 55-43.

If Surrey were going to get back into the game the start of the third quarter was critical but after a Hicks three pointer, Riders took over. Corey Johnson finally got going with a three, Crandall followed that with a driving lay-up and Zach Jackson a twenty foot jumper to push Riders lead to 62-46 and the Scorchers were reeling. Lee then hit a three followed by a dunk and by another Johnson three to cap a 10 nil Riders run. When Johnson penetrating the restricted area for a twelve foot fadeaway jumper Surrey were forced to a timeout trailing 74-51. But Riders were not letting up and the long range shots kept dropping, and by the end of the third the match was effectively over Riders leading 85-59.

The fourth quarter was all about managing the minutes and Riders did it very well never giving the Scorchers a sniff. Head Coach Rob Paternostro was able to run his bench without giving Surrey any chance of a comeback and the century of points came up with ease.

Once again Geno Crandall was mesmerising, finishing up with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists. His back court partner Conner Washington was also in exceptional form with 15 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists.

Lee was exceptional efficient, with his 15 points coming from 6 of 7 shots, and he added 8 rebounds, and Ali Fraser had one of his best games yet for the Riders with 11 points and 5 rebounds.

Riders

Crandall 19, Lee 15, Washington 15, Anderson 13, Fraser 11, Jackson 9, Nelson-Henry 8, Johnson 8, Falzon 3, Ndoukou 2

Scorchers

Ogedengbe 19, Hicks 14, Cashew 12, Richards 9, Walshe 8, Cook 6, Raftopoulos 5, Wanliss 2, Rickman 1

Season So Far – Riders

A 75-73 win to the Sheffield Sharks in their most recent game, in part thanks to a go-ahead bucket from Geno Crandall with five seconds left on the clock, moved the Riders to a 7-1 record to start the season. Leicester defence has set the tone for them, and they’re the only team in the league to hold their opponents to under 70 points per game. The Riders have seven players averaging a steal a game, making it difficult for opposing teams to take care of the basketball, earning Leicester extra possessions. In their previous game, Leicester doubled the steal tally of the Sharks, a demonstration of their perimeter defence which held their opponents to 26% from three.

Season So Far – Scorchers

A 2-5 record to start the season has left the Scorchers near the bottom end of the table, having played the fewest games in the BBL. They possess the worst defensive record in the BBL Championship, giving up 88 points per game. Despite their difficulties to begin the season, Surrey picked up a win in their previous game which they will look to build off of against the Riders. The win came against the Rocks, 93-86, behind 20 points from star guard Tayo Ogedengbe. Ogendengbe has focused on facilitating his teammates early in the season, and is averaging a career-high eight assists per game to compliment the 12 points he is scoring for his team. 

Ones to watch

Geno Crandall has been on a tear in the BBL Championship this season, failing to score in double digits just once on his way to 15 points per game. He leads the team in points, assists and steals, and has earned his nickname, ‘the general’ with six assists a game. Crandall is second on the roster in rebounds, and in a 17 rebound performance against the Raiders, Crandall set the record for the most rebounds for a guard in the BBL since April 2019. His flair and creativity has brought excitement to the BBL, creating highlight plays with emphatic dunks and flashy passing.

Returning to the Scorchers after two years in the German second division, Tony Hicks leads Surrey in point per game to start the season. Hicks, who averaged 19 points a game for the Scorchers in 2018, played four years in college, firstly for Pennsylvania, before transferring to Louisville for his senior year.  He averaged 11 points per game across his college career, before crossing the Atlantic to start his professional career with the Scorchers. Hicks uses his speed and handles to get to the rim with ease, and has crafty finishing ability inside, however, the biggest strength of Hick’s game is his defence His ability to cut passing lanes to pick off passes allows for easy points on the fast break, and Hick’s ability to pick up players full-court makes it difficult for opposing offences to advance the ball quickly. With a season-high 24 points coming against the Phoenix, Hicks is capable of going off for big points totals every night. 

Previous meeting

The previous meeting between these two sides was the first game in this year’s BBL Championship campaign for the Riders. It was a game they won 72-84, with four players scoring over 14 points. Most noticeably Jamell Anderson led Leicester with a season-high 16 points, missing just one of his eight shots. Tayo Ogedengbe also achieved his season-high, leading the Scorchers with 17 points from just eight shots. 

How To Watch

Although the game will be behind closed doors, Riders fans will be able to watch the game by  purchasing a pass from BBL Player. Season Ticket Holders will be able to access the game free of charge by logging into their BBL Player account.

Leicester Riders held on to win a superb contest at the Morningside Arena against the Sheffield Sharks, 75-73, to retain their bright start to the BBL Championship, and maintain the pressure on the league leaders London Lions. There was nothing in the game for three quarters when a burst from Riders gave them a ten point lead in the final period. But this experienced Sharks side then went on a 9 to nil run and it took a penetrating drive by Geno Crandall and an eight foot floating jump shot to seal the victory, with one second left.

It was the Sharks that started the game the better, with a three from new signing Jordan Ratinho, and with veteran Mike Tuck cleaning up after a missed Sharks shot, the visitors took an early 7-2 lead. Geno Crandall then hit a jumper, and that was followed by a trademark three from Corey Johnson. Zach Jackson hit a jumper of his own and Riders were back on level pegging with the scores tied on 9 points after 5 minutes. 

William Lee edged Riders in front with a put back, but the teams were trading blow for blow giving nothing away defensively. Some sloppy passing by Riders helped to keep the Sharks in touch, in spite of another Johnson three, and the Sharks were just ahead 17-16 after the first quarter.

A Bennett Koch strong move to the basket pushed Sheffield’s lead out, to start the second period but that was cancelled by an Aaron Falzon three. Koch was causing Riders problems inside on offence and Ali Fraser was picking up fouls trying to contain the Sheffield big man, and with Kipper Nicholls hitting 5 points in succession, Riders were forced to a timeout trailing 29-24. 

That steadied the ship and Johnson hit another three out of the break, and Lee followed that up with one of his own.  Nick Lewis was becoming more influential for the Sheffield and he hit a couple of mid range jumpers to give the Sharks the edge at half-time 39-38.   

The game stayed tight at the start of the third quarter, but Zack Jackson was starting to impose himself offensively. He hit a three, opening up the Sharks defence, and Crandall followed with a driving layup and Riders edged in front 45-43. Crandall continued to step up offensively and after a huge Conner Washington three pointer, Crandall drove to the basket and slammed a huge dunk that forced Sheffield to a timeout, Riders leading 54-48. Lewis hit back with another score, but Washington hit another huge three, to give Riders a 57-50 lead at the third quarter break.

A dunk from Jamell Anderson opened the fourth quarter for Riders, but Koch hit back for the Sharks. An Antwon Lillard three was cancelled out by a Lee dunk, but yet another three from Washington gave Riders breathing space, as they were leading 68-58 with four and a half minutes left. Another Crandall dunk gave Riders a ten point lead with 4 minutes left, but the Sharks battled back. 

Lillard hit a pair of free throws, Ratinho a twenty foot jump shot and a Hemsley three pointer dragged the score back to 70-69 in Riders favour with one minute 48 seconds left, and Riders Head Coach Rob Paternostro was forced to a timeout. Crandall scored again but a huge three from Ratinho in the corner tied the scores on 73, with 9 seconds left. Crandall then hit the decisive score although Sheffield had one second left to force a shot that fell short.

Crandall top scored with 18 points and added 7 assists but had a few too many turnovers for comfort. William Lee had a solid game with 11 points and 10 rebounds while Corey Johnson and Conner Washington hit 3 three pointers apiece. But it was Riders defence that once again proved the difference, holding the Sharks to just 5 three pointers from 19 attempts.

Riders

Crandall 18, Lee 11, Jackson 11, Washington 10, Johnson 9, Anderson 5, Nelson-Henry 4, Fraser 4, Falzon 3

Sharks

Ratinho 14, Nichols 12, Hemsley 10, Lewis 9, Tuck 9, Koch 8, Lillard 8, Jones 3

Season So Far – Riders

Holding their opponents to 68 points per game, the Riders’ defence has led them to a 6-1 record to start the season, enough to earn them third in the table, with two games in hand on the teams above. Offensively, the Riders have been sharing the wealth, with four players averaging double-digit points, making them a headache for any opposing defences. A number of players can go off for big games on any given night, resulting in a versatile Riders offence with multiple weapons. Leicester enter this game on a three game win streak, winning these games by 17 points on average, and will look to extend their good run of form in this tie. 

Season So Far – Sharks

Sheffield’s season has started in a similar fashion to last year, sitting in 5th place with a 4-4 record. Despite their record, the Sharks have the second-best defence and third-best defence in the BBL, and will hope to turn out consistent performances on both ends to translate these statistics into wins. Sheffield will lean on star pairing of Jeremy Hemsley and Antwon Lillard to string some results together this season, as they are averaging 34 points a game between them. Both can create their own offence as well as being able to lock down defensively, making them one of the most formidable duos in the BBL. 

Ones to watch

Darien Nelson-Henry has been a consistent scorer for the Riders, scoring in double digits in five of the seven games he’s played. The American big-man, who led Pennsylvania in points, rebounds and blocks in his senior year in college, is an efficient scorer, shooting 53% from the field and 83% from the free-throw line. Nelson-Henry gets his points at the rim, working in the post to shoot his effective hook shot, or by setting screens and cutting hard to the basket. His season high came against the Scorchers in the first game of the BBL Championship, in which he had 15 points and eight rebounds, going seven for 13 from the floor. 

Joining the Sheffield roster early in their BBL Championship campaign, Jeremy Hemsley has made an immediate impact on his new team, leading in scoring, assists and steals through his first eight games as a Shark.  The 6’3” shooting guard, ranked 63 in ESPN’s top 100 high school athletes in 2015, averaged 12 points per game for San Diego State in his sophomore year in college. Hemsley’s standout attribute is his perimeter defence, able to pick the pockets of opposing guards to earn extra possessions for his team, but his quickness and agility translates to the offensive side of the floor, helping him to 19 points a game for the Sharks on 54% shooting. 

Previous meeting

The previous meeting between the two sides occurred in December, a BBL Championship game in which Leicester took the win, 74-64. William Lee led the scoring for Leicester with 17 points in this tightly contested game, going seven for nine from the field, while Jeremy Hensley had 20 points and five steals in his team’s loss. 

How To Watch

Although the game will be behind closed doors, Riders fans will be able to watch the game by  purchasing a pass from BBL Player. Season Ticket Holders will be able to access the game free of charge by logging into their BBL Player account.

Leicester Riders game with Worcester Wolves this Friday has now been replaced by a home fixture with Sheffield Sharks, a 6pm tip. The game, brought forward from March 31st, is now in place after Worcester postponed the scheduled fixture.

In other fixture news, Riders trip to Glasgow on 7th February will now tip-off at 3pm.

League Statement
Following the Secure Play Protocol, Worcester Wolves have postponed their games against Leicester Riders and Sheffield Sharks, scheduled for Friday 29 January and Sunday 31 January respectively, due to self-isolation requirements following personnel testing positive for Covid-19.

These fixtures will be rearranged in due course as per the Covid-19 rule amendments.

As a result of these postponements, Leicester Riders will play Sheffield Sharks on Friday 29 January at 6pm at the Morningside Arena rearranged from the original date of 31 March 2021.

Leicester Riders dominated Glasgow Rocks in the BBL Championship, easing to a 90-58 victory at the Morningside Arena in front of the Sky Sports cameras. Riders took the lead in the third minute of the game and never looked back.

Riders’ best in the league defence held the Rocks to just 34% shooting from the floor, while they shot 56%, including an impressive 14 three pointers from 27 attempts. 

Riders also moved the ball again extremely well, dishing out 27 assists, to just thirteen from the visitors, as they continued their fine start to the Championship, with just a single loss so far, matching top of the table London Lions in that category.

Riders started slowly, missing a series of close in shots before Zach Jackson got the home side going with a three. Geno Crandall penetrated for a driving lay-up giving Riders an early 5-4 lead, but the defences were on top. Corey Johnson then hit a long three and that opened the floodgates for the Riders. Nelson-Henry got untracked inside, Crandall spun through the defence with ease, and the Rocks were forced to a timeout, trailing 14-4 midway through the first quarter. But that did not stop the rot for the Rocks, and back-to-back threes from Jackson and Conner Washington threatened a rout, with Riders building a 23-4 lead. But Glasgow’s Marc Kwedi finally hit a three and that sparked a ten to nil run by the visitors, who trailed 23-14 after the first quarter.

The start of the second period was going to be crucial to sustain Rocks comeback, but it was another Johnson three that triggered an offensive burst by Riders. Former Rock Ali Fraser and Aaron Falcon got in on the act as part of a Riders 9 to nil run, forcing Rocks to another timeout, trailing 32-14.

But it was Riders who came out of the break on fire with Washington and Falzon hitting consecutive threes, and Jamell Anderson producing consecutive baseline drives, and with another dunk by the Riders England forward the home side was good value for a 48-22 halftime lead.

Nelson-Henry got Riders going in the second half, with a couple of inside scores that kept the pressure on the Rocks.  Kwedi hit another long three but then Crandall lit up the Arena with a huge dunk off a breakaway drive. Jackson followed that up with a three and Riders were cruising 57-27 with just under seven minutes in the quarter. 

Kwedi responded with another long three, but generally the Rocks were struggling to find an open man as the Riders defence maintained it relentless pressure. Johnson hit another three, and then Crandall drove through the middle of the Rocks defence for another monster dunk and the Riders lead grew to 68-34. It took a Johnny Bunyon three on the buzzer for Glasgow to pull back the score to 70-41 with the final period left.

Falzon cancelled that out with a three of his own to start the fourth quarter, and Anderson hit one of his trademark threes from the corner to push Riders 76-43 clear. From then on, the Rocks tried to rattle the home side with aggressive defence, picking up a couple of unsportsmanlike fouls along the way, but Riders maintained their composure to come out on top with plenty to spare.

Johnson was Riders top scorer with 20 points, including five of nine three pointers, and he added 8 rebounds and 4 assists for good measure.

Crandall did all he needed to with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while Jackson was perfect from beyond the arc with 3 three pointers in his 13 point contribution.

Riders

Johnson 20, Anderson 13, Jackson 13, Nelson-Henry 10, Crandall 10, Falzon 8, Fraser 8, Washington 8

Rocks

Kwedi 11, Keeling 11, Van Sauers 10, Jacdonmi 8, Brandon 8, Delph 4, Bunyan 3, Malcolm 2, Mpondo 1

Season So Far – Riders

With three games in hand on the London Lions, who top the BBL Championship table, the Riders currently sit third with a record of 5-1. Holding teams to 71 points per game, they possess the best defensive record in the league, and the only unbeaten away record at 3-0. Leicester’s defence has generated good offence early in the season, resulting in 14 points off turnovers a game. This was well demonstrated in their previous game, an 82-70 win against the Raiders with 17 of the Riders’ 82 points coming off turnovers in part thanks to Connor Washington’s four steals. Washington led the scoring with 21 points, but it was Geno Crandall who made the headlines with his 18 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists. His rebound tally was the most from a guard since April 2019, and that wasn’t the only record to be broken that evening. Leicester won their 30th consecutive game against the Raiders, the best head-to-head winning streak in BBL history. 

Season So Far – Rocks

After being en-route to their first BBL Championship in franchise history before the cancellation of last season, the Rocks haven’t been able to replicate last years success so far, effectively propping up the table early on. They sit with a 2-7 record, doubling their loss tally from last season already, and are 10th in the table having played four more games than the Scorchers below. In their last game, they recorded a win to the Sheffield Sharks. Glasgow held the Sharks to just 54 points in their first double-digit win of the season. The two teams had just one three each in the low scoring affair, with Boban Jacdonmi leading the Rocks’ scoring with 18. 

Ones to watch

In the Rider’s previous game, Zack Jackson set his season-high in the BBL Championship this season, putting up 18 points and going 8-12 from the field. Jackson’s efficiency from the field led the team, in what was his best shooting night from the floor this season. Playing for Omaha in the NCAA Division 1 in college, Jackson averaged 18 points as a senior, before beginning his professional career in the Ukrainian first division for Kharkivski Sokoly. Jackson is a great scoring option for the Riders, with his effectiveness in catch and shoot situations and taking defenders off the drive. Scoring on all three levels, he is a threat to opposing defences every game. 

Christian Keeling signed his first professional contract with the Rocks after a four-year college career with North Carolina, the college once attended by the great Michael Jordan. Keeling enjoyed a successful college career, averaging 19 points in his junior year with UNC. He has carried his game into professional basketball seamlessly, averaging 18 points through his first four games as a Rock. Keeling has got his points off efficient shooting, going 55% from the field and 40% from three. Capable of generating his own offence, the 6’3” guard is an incredibly talented scorer, taking and making contested mid-range jump shots with ease. With his ability to make outside shots at a high rate, the Riders will hope Keeling doesn’t catch a hot hand should they wish to keep him quiet in this one. 

Previous meeting

The Riders have won four of the previous five meetings between the two sides, most recently earlier in the season in the BBL Cup quarter-final. Leicester led wire to wire, winning 93-59 behind 20 points from Corey Johnson. Johnson made six shots, all of them threes, going 46% from behind the line. He also led the team in rebounds with seven. For the Rocks, Boban Jacdonmi put in a solid performance despite the heavy loss, dropping 17 points and nine rebounds. 

How To Watch

Although the game will be behind closed doors, Riders fans will be able to watch the game by for FREE on Sky Sports Youtube or the Sky Sports channel.

We have a special treat for Riders supporters this Tuesday afternoon (26th Jan 2021)!

The club really value our supporters and know it’s not been an easy time for anyone. So how about a catch-up with two of your favourites!!!

Coach Rob Paternostro and GB guard Conner Washington are inviting all Season Ticket holders from the last two seasons to join them on a Zoom Call at 2pm this coming Tuesday.

It’s a unique opportunity to chat with Rob & Conner for an update on the season, all things Riders and a chance to ask them some questions in a Q&A session.

If you’d like to join us – simply email [email protected], we’ll also be emailing everyone with a Zoom link!

Leicester Riders will travel to London for their BBL Trophy game against the Lions on Thursday 11 February – 6pm tip.

As a result the scheduled home game on the 10th against Bristol Flyers will now take place on Tuesday 30 March, an 8pm tip.

It was also confirmed this morning that the home game against Surrey Scorchers on Sunday 31 Jan will now tip-off at 3pm.

We are delighted to confirm Leicester Riders game against Glasgow Rocks this Sunday will now be played in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Both teams will travel to Worcester to play the game ahead of the BBL Cup Final after it has been announced that the WBBL final has been postponed.

The game will now tip-off at 1pm.

Rob Paternostro’s side will also be in Worcester on Friday night when they face Worcester Wolves at 7pm – available to watch on the Worcester Wolves YouTube channel.

Leicester Riders bounced back again, this time from Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle Eagles, with a solid 82-70 win at the Plymouth Raiders in the BBL Championship. 

In doing so, Riders set a new BBL record, with their 31^st consecutive victory over Plymouth, the longest winning streak between two clubs. The last time Raiders beat the Riders was in 2012.

They did so thanks to an extraordinary set of performances from their two point guards, with Geno Crandall scoring 18 points, while pulling down 17 rebounds and dishing out 8 assists, one of the top efforts in the BBL this season. Crandall added in a steal and a block for good measure. 

Conner Washington top scored with 21 points, including 4 three pointers, and also added 7 rebounds and 3 assists. The guards had to step up because forward William Lee picked up early fouls and only managed 10 minutes on court, as did captain Darien Nelson-Henry, with Riders two big men managing just 7 points and 3 rebounds between them.

There was little between the teams in the first half. Crandall was immediately into the action, scoring two early baskets with some mesmerising dribbling to create space, and a Lee three had the scores tied on 8 points after four minutes. But Riders were also a little sloppy with the ball with four early turnovers, and both teams were struggling to score. Four points from GB International Ashley Hamilton, who had a very subdued game, thanks to pressure defence from Riders, helped Raiders to their biggest lead of the game at 16-10, but Scottish International Ali Fraser came off the bench and immediately provided a match-up problem for the Raiders. Fine work from Fraser and Zach Jackson got Riders back to level pegging, before Leicester born Elliott Sentence hit a three at the end of the first quarter to give the home side a narrow first quarter lead, 21-18.

Conner Washington levelled the score at the start of the second period with a three, but Mike Morsell, who scored 26 points against Riders a week ago, started to impose himself on the game, and slowly the Raiders got on top, leading 31-25 with four minutes left in the first half. But Fraser again came off the bench to work his magic inside and Riders went on a 9-2 run to go up 34-31.  A late score for Chris Porter-Bunton left the game in the balance at half-time with Riders just edging it 34-33.

In the last game between these teams the third quarter proved decisive for Leicester, but it was the Raiders who had the better start this time with a Morsell three pushing them to a 41-38 lead. But that was quickly cancelled by a Jamell Anderson three, and that was followed quickly by a three from Washington.

This triggered the crucial spell of the game, as Riders wound up the defensive pressure full court, turned over the Raiders twice in the back court, and had easy scores. That gave Riders a 48-41 lead with just over two minutes left in the quarter, and the Raiders were reeling. Porter-Bunton steadied the ship but a three-point play by Anderson and another fine play inside by Jackson had Riders well on top at the third quarter break, leading 53-48.

The game stayed tight early in the final period, but Crandall and Washington were playing their double act, and a three from Washington was matched by a driving lay-up from Crandall, and another jumper from Washington had Riders 66-57 clear midway with five minutes left. When Jackson hit another two the Raiders were forced to a time-out. But that sparked a burst of scoring from the visitors with Jackson and Washington hitting threes, and after that there was no way back for the Raiders.

As well as Riders deadly duo in the backcourt, Jackson caught the eye with 18 points, but it was Riders smothering defence that kept Raiders powerful offence in check, with only three home players managing double figure points, as Raiders shot just 38% from the floor.

Raiders

Morsell 17, Porter-Bunton 12, Hamilton 10, Ochereobia 9, Mcgill 9, Sentence 6, Beisty 3, Dusha 2, Neighbour 2, Neziri, Ubiaro, Walker

Riders

Washington 21, Crandall 18, Jackson 18, Fraser 12, Anderson 6, Lee 5, Nelson-Henry 2, Johnson, Falzon, Ndoukou, Hedley, Jimenez

TikTok has today partnered with the British Basketball League and Basketball England to launch the #BritishBasketball hashtag challenge and showcase the best of British basketball.

In what is the first ever basketball focused campaign on TikTok in the UK, the BBL and Basketball England are inviting basketball lovers to share their best basketball tricks, skills and content on TikTok. TikTok Creators will have access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content from professional clubs including Leicester Riders – @ridersbball.

“Our team have been using TikTok to share basketball content to a new audience and we’ve been encouraged to see it getting a great response,” said Basketball England Marketing and Communications director Anthony Jepson.

“We’re excited to be working with TikTok to showcase #BritishBasketball and the talent in the BBL to people not only in the UK but across the world. From the hustle of training to the thrill of gameday, TikTok allows us and our clubs a unique and direct way to share with our fans and communities. We’ve also loved seeing great basketball content shared by fans and creators from the basketball community and cannot wait to see what they share on the hashtag to celebrate the sport we love!,” said Selina Conroy, British Basketball League’s Head of Communications

Professional players including Jamell Anderson, William Lee, Geno Crandall, Conner Washington, Aaron Falzon, and Corey Johnson are also on the platform and all set to be giving an insight into what it’s like being a pro basketball player in the UK.

“We’re seeing great videos being shared by fans, content-makers and teams across the sport and would encourage everyone who loves the game in Britain, whether your thing is NBL, BBL, the national teams or up-and-coming young talent, to use the hashtag to celebrate it,” Jepson said.

With more than 31 billion video views, #basketball has cemented itself as one of the most popular sports on TikTok and #BritishBasketball is on the rise with numerous clubs from the BBL joining the platform.

Do you love basketball and want to show off your best slam dunks? Join in the fun and post your videos on #BritishBasketball.

With ongoing technical work at Plymouth Pavilions, a decision has been made not to live stream the game on BBL Player platform. Instead the game will be available for FREE on the Plymouth Raiders facebook page.

We value the Riders support as ever and hopefully the solution agreed with Plymouth & the league allows for you, our loyal supporters, to watch the game this evening – tip is 7.30pm.

We will also be keeping our twitter page @ridersbball up-to-date with all the usual updates throughout the game.

Next week, service will be back to normal with a double-header to look forward to. Worcester on Friday 22nd, which will be available to watch for FREE on their YouTube page. Saturday’s home game with Glasgow Rocks will be available on bblplayer.co.uk .

The Leicester Riders head down to the South West to take on the Plymouth Raiders for the second time in just over a week as the Riders look for a record breaking victory over the Raiders.

Season So Far – Riders

In their previous game, the Riders disappointingly exited the BBL Cup in the semi-final, in a close-fought game against the Newcastle Eagles. They now turn their attention back to the BBL Championship, where they sit third with three games in hand on the leaders. Leicester currently hold a 4-1 record, bouncing back from their only loss by beating the Plymouth Raiders 77-71. Geno Crandall continued his emphatic start to his debut season for Leicester, with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Crandall, who took North Dakota to the NCAA tournament as a sophomore in college, has averaged 20 points through his last four games and will look to continue his good form in this one. 

Season So Far – Raiders

Starting their season 5-1 to top their BBL Group, the Raiders enjoyed a successful start to their 2020-21 campaign. Subsequently, they were knocked out of the competition by the London Lions, but have equalled last season’s points tally of six in the BBL Championship after just eight games. Plymouth have kept their games competitive, with each of their five losses finishing within single digits. However, despite the hot start to the season, the Raiders enter this game in the midst of a cold streak, losing four of their last five games. Their most recent game was the first of a back to back against the Riders, which they lost 77-71. Mike Morsell led the team’s scoring effort in his debut for Plymouth with 26 points, after averaging 15 points a game with the Newcastle Eagles last season. 

Ones to watch

Earning Premier Logistics player of the game in his last two matches, Geno Crandall is on red hot form going into this tie. ‘General Geno’ has merited his nickname early in the season, leading the Riders in assists per game with five. His ball-handling is second to no-one in the BBL, allowing him to create offence for himself and his teammates by driving to the hoop and finishing at the rim, or using his elite passing ability to find an open teammate. In the pick and roll, Crandall uses screens masterfully, before exploiting the mismatch on larger defenders or dishing to the cutting screener. However, he is at his most dangerous in transition, using his speed and vision to attack the recovering defences. With the like of high-flying forward William Lee running the floor alongside him, highlight plays are a near guarantee when Crandall runs the fastbreak. 

Mike Morsell played his first game for the Raiders in their most recent game, showcasing the talent he brings to the South coast right off the bat. He had 26 points and seven rebounds, draining five threes in the process. After playing four years in the NCAA division one for Towson, averaging 14 points a game, Morsell signed his first professional contract in Finland’s first division, to play for Kobrat, before moving on to the Newcastle Eagles. He averaged 15 points per game for the Eagles before the season was cut short. Morsell is a great three-point shooter, averaging 40% from deep last season. This opens up the lane for him, where he uses his strength and quickness to get to the rim and finish through contact. Morsell has made an immediate impact on the Raiders, and his scoring from the wing will help them build on their 3-5 record. 

Previous meeting

This game is the second of a back to back, with the Riders taking the first 77-71. The win tied the BBL record for a head-to-head winning streak, making it 30 on the bounce. Geno Crandall filled up the box score from the point, getting 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. While he only shot 33% from the field, Crandall made 10 of his 12 free-throws to earn him the player of the game award. Meanwhile, Mike Morsell showed out in his first game for Plymouth, scoring 26 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. The Riders will hope for a win in this one to make it 31 consecutive wins against the Raiders, breaking the BBL record. 

Leicester Riders are out of the BBL Cup after a hard fought and intense semi-final, edged out by arch-rivals Newcastle Eagles, 76-71, at the Morningside Arena.

Nothing separated the sides through three quarters of the match, but a huge three by Eagles American forward Justin Gordon gave the visitors a 73-70 lead with just under two minutes left in the game, and Riders could not find a way back, missing four shots in the final two minutes.

The Eagles now progress to the Final against London Lions who are through without playing against a Covid hit Manchester Giants.

The Eagles started the game on fire, setting up their big men, Evan Maxwell and Gordon, inside for easy baskets, capped by a Cortez Edwards three to put them 7 nil on top. But William Lee responded with a dunk off an assist by Geno Crandall and Riders went on an 8 to nil run of their own. At this stage, the defences were dominating between two teams who are very familiar with each other, and it took Crandall to weave his magic to keep Riders in touch in spite of a few loose passes. At the first quarter break there was nothing between the teams, tied on fourteen points apiece.

The second period followed the pattern of the first, with Eagles dominating inside and a Corey Johnson three was more than cancelled out by successive threes by Maxwell and Drew Lasker. 

Riders Head Coach Rob Paternostro was forced to an early timeout trailing 28-19 with still 6 minutes in the half. That did the trick, as Darien Nelson Henry immediately rattled off 6 points in a row in a Riders 11-2 run that got the scores tied on 30 with three minutes left. Crandall then weaved his way inside for a basket, followed by another Johnson three, but a jump shot by Edwards gave the Eagles the narrowest leads at halftime at 37-36, with the game still finely balanced.  

The offences started to get some traction in the third period with both teams pushing the ball up the court quicker and finding the gaps. William Lee and Nelson-Henry combined well inside, but 6 feet 10 inch Maxwell was causing all sorts of problems for Riders inside, as he benefited from a number of Edward’s passes. Another Johnson three got Riders within 2 at 49-47 down but Edwards hit back with a three of his own. Another Lee dunk got Riders back in front 52-51 forcing the Eagles to a timeout.  Crandall then hit six points on the spin for the Riders but a breakaway basket from youngster Eddie Matthews helped Eagles stay just in front 62-60 at the third quarter break.

It stayed nip and tuck in the final quarter but successive baskets by Maxwell followed by a driving lay-up by Edwards got Eagles 68-64 clear with five minutes left.

Nelson Henry and Lee then then combined well inside for baskets, and a Crandall lay-up got the scores to 70 all. Gordon hit the three with less than two minutes to go, and then Crandall missed a free throw and Riders were chasing the game. They had their chances in the final minute but could not convert.

In a game dominated by defences Lee gave another solid performance with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Crandall top scored with 17 points and added 5 assists. But the Riders struggled from behind the three point line making just 4 of 16, and their turnovers at 16 were double that of the Eagles and proved the decisive factor. Maxwell top scored in the game with 19 points.

Riders

Crandall 17, Jackson 12, Nelson-Henry 12, Lee 12, Johnson 11, Fraser 4, Anderson 3

Eagles

Maxwell 19, Edwards 18, Gordon 15, Pflueger 5, Fletcher 4, Sayers 4, Defoe 4, Lasker, Adenekan 2, Matthews 2

The Leicester Riders take on the Newcastle Eagles on Tuesday Evening as the two sides do battle for a place in the BBL Cup Final later this month.

Season So Far – Riders 

The Riders’ stared their 2020/21 campaign by easing through the ‘group of death’, qualifying to the knockout stages with a game to spare. Leicester won and lost to each team in the group, resting their starters in the last game against the Sheffield Sharks, a luxury they earned through their early qualification. The Riders kicked off the knockout stages by convincingly beating the Glasgow Rocks 93-59. They led wire to wire in the tie, leading 51-26 at halftime. Corey Johnson led the scoring for the Riders, dropping 20 points and shooting 42% from three. 

Season So Far – Eagles

Like the Riders, the Eagles enjoyed a comfortable group stage in the ‘group of death’. They topped the group, finishing with the best offensive record in the Cup, averaging 90 points per game. Newcastle have had great success on the road, as they’re 3-0 as the away team in the competition so far. They beat the Bristol Flyers 72-64 in the first round of the knockouts, despite a late Flyers fourth quarter comeback to cut a 17 point deficit to 8. Evan Maxwell led the scoring for Newcastle, scoring 22 points to pair with seven rebounds. The 6’10” center is capable of stretching the floor, shooting 35% from three in the BBL Cup, and is a presence on the glass averaging 8 rebounds a game. 

Ones to watch

Corey Johnson has led the team in scoring through the BBL Cup campaign so far, averaging 16 points a game. He’s been red hot from deep, shooting 45% from three, and is yet to miss a free-throw, going 7-7 at the line. Johnson has scored 20 points in three of the six games he’s played in the competition, with a total of 17 rebounds in those games also. The 6’5” wing shot 37% from deep at Havard College, and averaged 12 points a game in his first season with the Riders. Johnson is capable of catching fire on any given night to put up big numbers offensively. 

2 time BBL MVP Rahmon Fletcher is playing his sixth season for the Eagles, and is running the point to great effect. He is an excellent facilitator, leading the team in assists with 10 a game. Fletcher has a complete playmaking arsenal, capable of making any pass and opening up defences with crafty handles. He uses his exceptional speed paired with his handles to beat defenders and get to the hoop, and despite standing at 5’10”, Fletcher is adept at finishing at the rim over taller defenders.  Off the ball, Fletcher spaces the floor for his teammates with his outside shooting, averging 48% from three in the BBL Cup. His complete offensive game will pose a challenge for Leicester if Fletcher controls the game like he is capable of doing. 

Previous Meeting

The Riders and the Eagles have met twice already this season, both times in the BBL Cup group stage. Both teams won a game each, with Leicester taking the most recent game 82-88. There was just one point between the teams with 5:44 on the clock in the final quarter, before Leicester went on a 18-13 run to end the game. Geno Crandall led the way for the Riders with a 20 point performance, while Rex Pflueger put up a season high 21 points for Newcastle. 

How To Watch

Although the game will be behind closed doors, Riders fans will be able to watch the game by  purchasing a pass from BBL Player.

In accordance with the BBL Secure Play protocols and Covid-19 rule amendments, there are changes to the BBL Cup Semi-Finals scheduled for Tuesday 12 January 2021 due to Covid-19 implications.

Due to a number of players having to self-isolate, Manchester Giants are unable to fulfil their fixture against London Lions and have unfortunately had to forfeit the game. The forfeiture means London Lions have an automatic bye to the Final on 24 January.

In a related move, with Manchester unable to fulfil their fixture, the semi-final between Leicester Riders and Newcastle Eagles will now be held at the Morningside Arena on Tuesday 12 January. The game will tip-off at 5pm and shown live on BBL Player. The venue was decided via a remote random draw by the League central office with representatives from Leicester and Newcastle present to witness the draw.

Leicester Riders bounced back from their heart-breaking defeat against London on Sunday with a hard fought 77-71 victory on the road at Plymouth Raiders in the BBL Championship. Riders needed a strong defensive performance in the third quarter to set up the win and held off strong pressure from Plymouth late in the game. 

It was Riders thirtieth consecutive victory over the Raiders, tying an all-time BBL record in head-to-head matchups. The result improves Riders record to 4 wins with a single defeat.

Riders got their inside game going early on through centre and captain Darien Nelson-Henry, but fell behind 12-6 midway through the first period, as Raiders GB international Ashley Hamilton took advantage from the free throw line. But Aaron Falzon came off the bench to hit a three and spark a Riders revival, as they went on an 11-2 run, including baskets from William Lee and Conner Washington, and capped by four points in a row from Geno Crandall, to push Riders 15-12 clear. American guard Mike Morsell was keeping the Raiders in touch with fine long range shooting and at the first quarter break Riders led just 19-16.

Ali Fraser came off the bench to get Riders going in the second period, but then the two teams hit a purple patch shooting-wise with Crandall hitting a three, and long-range jump shot, which was matched by consecutive three pointers by Morsell and a long range shot from point guard Ricky Mcgill. Another driving lay -up by Hamilton forced Riders Head Coach Rob Paternostro to a timeout as Raiders edged in front 30-29. Zach Jackson suddenly found his shooting touch on consecutive plays and then Ali Fraser did the same, but a basket off an offensive rebound by Michael Ochereobia kept Raiders just in front at half-time 38-37.

Riders turned up the defensive intensity in the third period, and Nelson-Henry again was to the fore under the basket, converting some easy makes to push Riders clear 46-40. Riders were starting to control the boards and fine play by Jamell Anderson and a three by Corey Johnson got Riders lead out to double figures, leading 53-43 with three minutes left in the third quarter. Riders had a solid lead at 59-48 with a ten minutes left, as they dominated the third quarter 22-10.

The Raiders immediately bounced back at the start of the final period with Hamilton starting to impose himself offensively and another Morsell three cut Riders lead to 64-59 with five minutes left in the game.

Morsell hit yet another long range three to cut Riders lead to 68-64 with two and a half minutes left, forcing Riders to another time-out. A three-point play by Morsell further cut Riders lead to just one point, but then fine play by Crandall, and a put back dunk by Lee, edged Riders out to 71-67 with a minute left.  Crandall found his way to the basket for a dunk and then the Riders held their nerve from the free throw line to secure a well-deserved victory.

Crandall impressed again, although he was not at his very best, finishing with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Ali Fraser had one of his best games for Riders, with 12 points and 5 rebounds in 17 minutes of play, while there was a welcome return to offensive efficiency by Nelson-Henry with 13 points on 60% shooting.  The Raiders Morsell top scored in the game with 26 points, including 5 three-pointers.

Raiders

Morsell 26, Hamilton 17, Ochereobia 10, Mcgill 7, Porter-Bunton 6, Ubiaro 4, Neighbour 1

Riders

Crandall 19, Nelson-Henry 13, Fraser 12, Johnson 9, Jackson 6, Lee 5, Washington 5, Falzon 5, Anderson 3

The Riders return to action on Tuesday Evening when they take on the Newcastle Eagles in the BBL Cup Semi Final in Manchester.

Season So Far – Riders

The Riders suffered their first loss of the BBL Championship season in their most recent game, losing 73-74 to the London Lions. Leicester came off the back of a two-week break between games and shot just 38% from the field in a low scoring affair. Despite this, they took the Lions to the final play of the game before falling to 3-1 to start the season. They still boast the best defensive record in the league, holding opponents to 70 points a game on average. University of Alabama graduate William Lee leads the team in points, rebounds, blocks and steals early in the season, making his presence known on both ends. The Riders sit fourth in the standings, with two games in hand on the teams above. 

Season So Far – Raiders

Plymouth started their season in emphatic fashion, topping their BBL Cup group while losing just one of the six games. Since then, the Raiders have equalled the three wins they had last season after just seven games, starting 3-4.  While Plymouth has lost four games to start the season, every game they’ve played has been closely contested. Just one of the seven games has been won by double digits, a 14 point win for the Raiders against the Worchester Wolves. They’ve had great success crashing the offensive glass, pulling down a dominant 31% of offensive rebounds per game. Michael Ochereobia leads the way in this category, pulling down two a game. The 6’8” center averaged 8.5 rebounds a game for the Cheshire Phoenix last season and has four years experience playing in the NCAA first division. 

Ones To Watch

Coming to the Riders from the Iowa Wolves in the G-League in the offseason, William Lee’s hot start to the season has led to him averaging 14 points and 9 rebounds, which leads the team. The University of Alabama’s all-time leading shot-blocker also leads the Riders in blocks and steals, dominating on both ends. The 6’9” big man’s athleticism is the key to his game, as it enables him to attack the rim, swat away shots and grab rebounds at a high rate. Lee also has an effect on the defensive end which doesn’t show up in the box score, using his 6’11” wingspan to cut passing lanes and disrupt opposing offences.  

After averaging 12 points a game in the Spanish second division last year, Ashley Hamilton has made an immediate impact on the Raiders this season. The 6’7” forward, who played four years for NCAA division one side Loyola Marymount in college, is averaging 20 points through his first seven games in the BBL Championship, leading the team. Hamilton is an athletic wing, who uses his speed and strength to get to the basket with ease. The lane to the basket has been opened up for him early in the season, as he has been hot from three, shooting 41% from deep. His game-high this season came against the London Lions, as he dropped 31 points. In typical fashion, Hamilton attacked the rim, getting to the free-throw line 14 times in the game and making 69% of his shots from the field. 

Previous Meeting

These two teams last faced in the BBL Championship last season, and it was the Riders who took the victory, winning 90-74. Leicester’s ball movement was excellent in the game, doubling their opponent’s assist totals. Darien Nelson-Henry had 16 points off of 80% shooting, going 8-10 from the field. The Riders have won the last 28 fixtures against the Raiders, with the last Plymouth win dating back to the 1st April 2012. Leicester will hope to extend this winning streak in this one. 

How To Watch

Although the game will be behind closed doors, Riders fans will be able to watch the game by  purchasing a pass from BBL Player.

Riders game against Bristol Flyers, postponed from December, will now take place on Wednesday 10th February 2021 at 7pm.

Last time the sides met in front of the Sky Sports cameras, Leicester winning 85-73.

Our final league game versus the Flyers will come at the end of March (27th) down in Bristol.

Leicester Riders saw victory snatched from them in a mad last minute, as they were beaten by London Lions 74-73 Sunday evening in the BBL Championship at the Morningside Arena. Riders were 5 points clear at 73-68 with just a minute left in the game as they looked to preserve their unbeaten start in the Championship. 

They were looking good for the victory with the Lions struggling to get any penetration on offence. But then a stray pass was intercepted by Dirk Williams at mid court for a breakaway dunk, and that was followed by a Lions steal on the subsequent inbounds play to give them another easy layup. When Riders could not score on their possession, the Lions came down and Orlando Parker hit the twelve-foot jumper to wrench the game from Riders. A last second attempt from Corey Johnson to steal back the game for Riders fell short.

The start of the match was delayed by two hours after the Lions were caught up in a traffic accident on the M1. But both teams shrugged off the delays early on, with Corey Johnson opening his account with a three with the first shot of the game, matched by Lions GB star Justin Robinson. When Johnson hit another three it looked like it was going to be a shooting fest, but then the defences started to take over. The Lions were getting good movement inside from ex-Rider Chris Taiwah.  An Orlando Parker three edged London in front 12-8, but Washington came off the bench to draw a couple of fouls and hit a big three. With seconds left in the first quarter Riders worked the ball beautifully to the corner to Jamell Anderson for a three, to tie the game at 19 after 10 minutes.

The Lions came out on fire in the second period as Kevin Ware and ex-NBA star Deandre Liggins combined, and a Liggins three was followed by Dirk Williams making three points from the free throw line giving London a 35-22 lead and forcing Riders to a time-out, with four minutes gone. That did the trick as Riders went on an eleven to nil run with William Lee converting six points and Geno Crandall dazzling with his ball handling. The Lions were then forced to a timeout and they responded with consecutive threes by Dirk Williams and Jules Dang Akodo to push Lions lead back to 41-33, forcing Riders Head Coach Rob Paternostro to another time-out. That again worked the magic and a three point play off an offensive rebound by Crandall, and a scintillating assist by Crandall for a three point play by Ali Fraser had Riders trailing 44-39 at half-time.

Lions started the sharper in the third period but again Crandall inspired Riders back. He hit a driving lay-up followed by a three, and Riders were back within 5 trailing 57-52. Crandall then found Nelson-Henry inside for an easy basket followed by a William Lee dunk. With two and a half minutes left in the quarter Crandall hit another three to close to trail by just 62-59 and neither side could muster a score in the final two and a half minutes of the third period.

The defences stayed on top in the fourth quarter but an Anderson three was followed by one from Washington and Riders slowly build a lead. A Crandall basket halfway through the final period gave Riders their biggest lead of the game 71-64 with five minutes left, and Riders stayed in front until that final crazy minute when the game got away from them.

William Lee was in stunning form for Riders at Both ends of the court, contributing 15 points and 12 rebounds while blocking 3 Lions shots, in 35 minutes of play. Crandall also put on a masterclass finishing with 23 points and 4 assists, including 3 three pointers.

Riders

Crandall 23, Lee 15, Johnson 11, Washington 9, Anderson 6, Fraser 4, Nelson-Henry 2, Jackson 2, Falzon 1

Lions

Williams 19, Liggins 14, Parker 11, Robinson 10, Ware 6, Taiwah 6, Akodo 3